Which statement best defines chemoprophylaxis?

• A. The prevention of disease by the administration of vaccines.
• B. The administration of medicines to treat a person.
• C. Place higher loads on the muscle, tendons, ligaments, and joints.
• D. Visual clues

Answer: (B)

Chemoprophylaxis is the preventive use of a drug to stop a disease from developing. It’s about giving a medication to someone at risk or after exposure to reduce the chance that infection or illness will occur, rather than treating illness after it appears (which is therapy). For example, taking an antimalarial drug before traveling to an area where malaria is common, or using post-exposure antibiotic prophylaxis after known exposure to meningitis, are both chemoprophylaxis strategies. Vaccination, while also preventive, works through stimulating the immune system (immunoprophylaxis) rather than directly using a drug to suppress or prevent disease. The option describing treatment of a current illness doesn’t fit chemoprophylaxis, and the other two aren’t related to disease prevention.