Cholera cases are confirmed in a village and the local medical officer plans chemoprophylaxis for household contacts of cases. As per standard recommendations, the appropriate regimen for an adult contact is:
- A Tetracycline 500 mg three times daily for 3 days
- B Ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 5 days
- C Doxycycline 300 mg as a single oral dose ✓
- D Azithromycin 1 g once weekly for 3 weeks
Correct answer: C. Doxycycline 300 mg as a single oral dose
Explanation
A single 300 mg oral dose of doxycycline is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for household and close contacts during a cholera outbreak, chosen for compliance and effectiveness. Mass chemoprophylaxis of whole communities is discouraged because it selects resistance and gives only transient protection. Multi-day regimens offer no advantage over the single dose for post-exposure prophylaxis and are reserved for treatment of active disease.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 26th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.