What is the primary consequence of using monotherapy instead of combination therapy for most brucellosis patients?
Answer
It significantly increases the chances of the infection returning (relapse).
The foundational principle of successful brucellosis management is the use of combination antibiotic therapy, typically involving two different drugs administered concurrently for an extended duration. Using monotherapy, meaning employing only a single antibiotic agent, is strongly discouraged precisely because it severely compromises the ability to eradicate the bacteria, especially given their tendency to reside intracellularly. This incomplete eradication pathway results directly in a significantly elevated risk of relapse, where the infection reappears after the initial treatment course is finished, thereby undermining the entire therapeutic effort.
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