HIV prophylaxis is a vital strategy to prevent the transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV prophylaxis can be divided into two types: pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PrEP is a daily pill that people at high risk of HIV take to reduce their chances of getting infected. PEP is a short course of HIV medicines that people take within 72 hours of a possible exposure to HIV to stop the virus from taking hold in their body. Both PrEP and PEP are highly effective when taken as prescribed, but they are not 100% foolproof. Therefore, it is important to use other HIV prevention methods, such as condoms and sterile needles, along with HIV prophylaxis. HIV prophylaxis can save lives, improve health outcomes, and reduce the spread of HIV in the community.
On 22 Agust 2023 USPSTF published latest Recomendation in this field :
“Adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg (77 lb) at increased risk of HIV acquisition:
Prescribe preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with effective antiretroviral therapy to decrease the risk of acquiring HIV.” (GRADE:A)
USPSTF recommends the following be considered for HIV PrEP:
- Sexually active adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg (77 lb) who have engaged in anal or vaginal sex in the past 6 months and have any of the following:
- A sexual partner who has HIV (especially if the partner has an unknown or detectable viral load).
- A bacterial sexually transmitted infection (syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia for men who have sex with men and transgender women; gonorrhea and syphilis for heterosexual women and men) in the past 6 months.
- A history of inconsistent or no condom use with sex partner(s) whose HIV status is not known; assessing risk in conversation with the patient and considering factors such as number of partners, the specific sexual activities a person engages in, and whether their sex partner or partners are in a group with a higher prevalence of HIV (eg, men who have sex with men or with men and women, transgender women, persons who inject drugs, and persons who engage in transactional sex).
- Persons who inject drugs and have a drug injecting partner who has HIV or who shares injection equipment.
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