Question

The drug of choice for chemoprophylaxis in contacts of a patient of pneumonic plague is:

• A. Penicillin
• B. Rifampicin
• C. Erythromycin
• D. Tetracycline

Hint:

Tetracycline (or doxycycline) is standard prophylaxis for plague contacts.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks which drug is given to close contacts of a pneumonic plague case to prevent them from developing the disease.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Chemoprophylaxis means giving a drug to a person who has been exposed but is not yet sick, to stop infection from taking hold. For plague, this is offered to household and close contacts of a pneumonic plague patient, since pneumonic plague spreads through respiratory droplets and can move fast.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Yersinia pestis, the organism causing plague, is sensitive to tetracycline, and tetracycline (or a related drug such as doxycycline) is the standard choice offered to contacts for a short course to prevent disease.
Penicillin is not effective against Yersinia pestis and is not used for plague.
Rifampicin is used for chemoprophylaxis in diseases like meningococcal meningitis, not plague.
Erythromycin is not the standard recommended drug for plague chemoprophylaxis.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The drug of choice for chemoprophylaxis of contacts of pneumonic plague is tetracycline. This is option (D).