Half of Brucellosis Patients in China Struggle to Finish Their Antibiotics

A multi-center study in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases quantified how hard it is for brucellosis patients in China to complete long antibiotic courses at home. Led by Qiaoshan Lu and colleagues, the research followed 820 patients across six prefectures in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Shandong and other areas from December 2019 to August 2021, during COVID-19 disruptions. Using the Chinese version of the Morisky eight-item Medication Adherence Scale at six and twelve weeks, investigators found adherence worsened over time. At six weeks, 53.18% had optimal adherence (median score 8), but by twelve weeks only 41.31% did (median score 7). The study also reported regional differences, with higher odds of optimal adherence in Xinjiang and Shandong versus Inner Mongolia.