Failure of Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis in Human Brucellosis Contracted Through Needlestick Injury

This article presents the case of a high-risk male patient who incurred a needlestick injury as part of his work as a veterinary assistant. The patient was treated with a 21-day course of doxycycline upon first presentation but nonetheless developed brucellosis infection. It is proposed that a dual prophylaxis of doxycycline and rifampin prescribed on the day of exposure would have been a more effective intervention compared with monotherapy of doxycycline and that symptom monitoring and serological follow-up should have been carried out to reduce the risk of complications. This article recommends improvements in the enforcement of prevention procedures within high-risk occupational settings to reduce the risk of brucellosis infection, and adds a value to the importance of the prophylaxis for the countries that do not follow postexposure prophylaxis.
Source: Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research