The drug of choice for treatment of 'Filariasis' is?

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2020

Explanation

Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) citrate is the first-line drug for treating lymphatic filariasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia species.
DEC works by rapidly clearing microfilariae (larval worms) from the bloodstream, making it highly effective for reducing transmission.
It also has some activity against adult worms, though complete eradication may require repeated treatment courses.
For public health, DEC is often used in combination with Albendazole as part of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programs to eliminate the disease in endemic areas.

Option A: Tetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic for bacterial infections. It is not a primary anti-filarial agent.
Option B: Amphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant used for conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy. It has no therapeutic role in treating parasitic infections.
Option C: Dapsone is an antibacterial sulfone drug. Its primary use is in the multi-drug treatment regimen for leprosy (Mycobacterium leprae).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pharmacological treatment for Filariasis helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A key nursing responsibility is to monitor for adverse reactions to DEC, which are often caused by the host's inflammatory response to dying parasites (Mazzotti-like reaction). Symptoms include fever, headache, rash, and joint pain.
Patient education is crucial. Nurses should instruct patients on the importance of completing the full 12-day course of treatment for individual therapy and adhering to annual MDA programs for community protection.
Nurses must be aware of contraindications. DEC should be used with extreme caution or avoided in patients with onchocerciasis (river blindness) or high loads of Loa loa microfilariae due to the risk of severe adverse events, including encephalopathy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the 'drug of choice' for 'Filariasis'. This is a direct factual recall question.
Recall the major anti-parasitic drugs and their primary indications.
Evaluate the options provided. Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) is the classic and most well-known drug for lymphatic filariasis.
Analyze the distractors to confirm your choice. Tetracycline is an antibiotic, Amphetamine is a CNS stimulant, and Dapsone is for leprosy. None of these are first-line treatments for filariasis.
Select Diethylcarbamazine citrate as the correct answer based on established pharmacological knowledge.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QbFvI3dP_MnvVUuofdr_4t

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 2136-2138

E6 Pharmacology Katzung 16e p. 1461-1463

Practise the full NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2020

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.