Abstract
There is a clear convergence toward an overarching strategic use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Four interventions—immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the infected partner in a serodiscordant couple, preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP)—are all strongly recommended by the World Health Organization as effective ways to prevent HIV infection. For HIV-infected individuals, ART to protect an HIV-uninfected partner and PMTCT are both part of an expanding list of recommendations for starting ART immediately to both treat and prevent HIV infection. For HIV-uninfected individuals, PrEP and PEP are increasingly being seen as related interventions, and there are compelling reasons to consider the provision of PEP as a potential gateway to PrEP. The effectiveness of each of these interventions depends on overcoming barriers to seeking services, adequate community understanding and engagement, high levels of access and uptake of services including HIV testing and counselling, and high levels of adherence.
Access all supplement’s articles
World Health Organization Guidelines on postexposure prophylaxis for HIV: recommendations for a public health approach
Efficacy of HIV postexposure prophylaxis: systematic review and meta-analysis of nonhuman primate studies
Choice of antiretroviral drugs for postexposure prophylaxis for adults and adolescents: a systematic review
Choice of antiretroviral drugs for postexposure prophylaxis for children: a systematic review
Starter packs versus full prescription of antiretroviral drugs for postexposure prophylaxis: a systematic review
Optimizing adherence to preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis: the need for an integrated biobehavioral approach
End users’ views and preferences on prescribing and taking postexposure prophylaxis for prevention of HIV: methods to support World Health Organization guideline development
Postexposure prophylaxis against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): new guidelines from the WHO: a perspective
The transition from postexposure prophylaxis to preexposure prophylaxis: an emerging opportunity for biobehavioral HIV prevention
Formulating the future research agenda for postexposure prophylaxis for HIV: methodological challenges and potential approaches
Related links
Guidelines on post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and the use of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis for HIV-related infections among adults, adolescents and children
More about post-exposure prophylaxis
More publications on post-exposure prophylaxis
More about pre-exposure prophylaxis
More publications on pre-exposure prophylaxis
More about mother-to-child transmission of HIV
More publications on mother-to-child transmission of HIV