Close household contacts of a confirmed cholera case are identified during an outbreak. Which chemoprophylactic regimen is recommended for them?

• A Ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 5 days
• B Azithromycin 500 mg daily for 3 days
• C Metronidazole 400 mg thrice daily for 3 days
• D Doxycycline 300 mg as a single dose ✓

Explanation

For close contacts of cholera cases, a single oral dose of doxycycline 300 mg (or tetracycline) is the standard chemoprophylaxis, as it eliminates the organism from carriers and interrupts household transmission. Mass chemoprophylaxis of entire communities is discouraged because it selects resistant strains and gives only transient protection. Metronidazole has no activity against Vibrio cholerae, and multi-day regimens offer no advantage over the single dose for contacts.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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