title: Prevention of human immunodeficiency virus and AIDS: postexposure prophylaxis (including health care workers).
abstract: Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is designed to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection after an exposure, is one of several strategies for HIV prevention. PEP was first used after occupational HIV exposures in the late 1980s, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issuing the first set of guidelines that included considerations regarding the use of antiretroviral agents for PEP after occupational HIV exposures in 1990. Use of PEP has been extended to nonoccupational exposures, including after sexual contact or injection-drug use. This article provides a rationale for PEP, assessment of the need for PEP, and details of its implementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa College of Medicine, Infectious Diseases SW34-J GH, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Beekmann
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Building 10-CRC, Rm 6-2551, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: DHenderson@cc.nih.gov.
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: HIV; HIV PEP; Nonoccupational exposure; Occupational exposure; Postexposure prophylaxis