Communicable diseases: brucellosis control: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Communicable diseases: brucellosis control

Sample item

A 35-year-old man working in a village dairy has undulant fever, drenching night sweats and low backache for six weeks. Several families who drink unboiled milk from the same herd have a similar illness. Which measure would best protect the community from further infection?

AIndoor residual spraying of housesBChemoprophylaxis for all villagersCBCG vaccination of the affected familiesDBoiling milk and controlling infection in the herd

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Boiling milk and controlling infection in the herd

Brucellosis is a zoonosis from cattle, goats and sheep, acquired by drinking raw milk or by contact with infected animals and tissues. Boiling or pasteurising milk, together with test-and-control measures such as vaccination of herd animals, breaks the chain of transmission.

Option by option

A. Indoor residual spraying of houses
Indoor residual spraying targets vectors such as mosquitoes and sandflies, which are not involved in this disease.
B. Chemoprophylaxis for all villagers
Mass chemoprophylaxis is neither recommended nor practical, and does not remove the source of infection.
C. BCG vaccination of the affected families
BCG protects against tuberculosis and gives no protection against this infection.
D. Boiling milk and controlling infection in the herd (correct)
Correct. Heat treatment of milk and control of infection in animals interrupt spread from the reservoir.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is D, Boiling milk and controlling infection in the herd. Brucellosis is a zoonosis from cattle, goats and sheep, acquired by drinking raw milk or by contact with infected animals and tissues.

Why is "Indoor residual spraying of houses" not the answer?

Indoor residual spraying targets vectors such as mosquitoes and sandflies, which are not involved in this disease.

Why is "Chemoprophylaxis for all villagers" not the answer?

Mass chemoprophylaxis is neither recommended nor practical, and does not remove the source of infection.

Why is "BCG vaccination of the affected families" not the answer?

BCG protects against tuberculosis and gives no protection against this infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Communicable diseases: brucellosis control in PSM. Boiling or pasteurising milk, together with test-and-control measures such as vaccination of herd animals, breaks the chain of transmission.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Communicable diseases: brucellosis control?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.