Trauma and burns: antibiotics in burns: practice question

A General Surgery 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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General Surgery · Trauma and burns: antibiotics in burns

Sample item

A previously well adult has 25% total body surface area partial-thickness burns, treated with resuscitation and dressings on day 1. She is afebrile with a clean wound. What is the role of antibiotics?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. No routine systemic prophylaxis; treat proven infection

Prophylactic systemic antibiotics do not prevent burn wound infection and promote resistance. Topical antimicrobials and early excision are used, with antibiotics only for clinical infection.

Option by option

  • A. Oral flucloxacillin until healing

    Prolonged flucloxacillin gives no benefit without infection.

  • B. Intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics for all patients

    Routine broad-spectrum therapy selects resistant organisms.

  • C. Systemic prophylaxis with an antifungal

    Routine antifungal prophylaxis is unsupported.

  • D. No routine systemic prophylaxis; treat proven infection (correct)

    Correct. Systemic prophylaxis is not recommended in burns.

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.

More General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, No routine systemic prophylaxis; treat proven infection. Prophylactic systemic antibiotics do not prevent burn wound infection and promote resistance.

Why is "Oral flucloxacillin until healing" not the answer?

Prolonged flucloxacillin gives no benefit without infection.

Why is "Intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics for all patients" not the answer?

Routine broad-spectrum therapy selects resistant organisms.

Why is "Systemic prophylaxis with an antifungal" not the answer?

Routine antifungal prophylaxis is unsupported.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: antibiotics in burns in General Surgery. Topical antimicrobials and early excision are used, with antibiotics only for clinical infection.

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 Trauma and burns: antibiotics in burns?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.