Post-exposure prophylaxis
Post-exposure prophylaxis (pronunciation: post-eks-po-zher pro-fuh-lak-sis) is a preventive medical treatment started immediately after exposure to a pathogen (such as a disease-causing virus), in order to prevent infection from occurring.
Etymology
The term "post-exposure prophylaxis" is derived from the Latin post meaning "after", the Greek exposio meaning "exposure", and the Greek prophylaxis meaning "prevention".
Definition
Post-exposure prophylaxis, often abbreviated as PEP, involves the administration of therapeutic agents after exposure to a pathogen, with the aim of preventing infection. This is often used in relation to exposure to HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, but can also be used in the context of other infectious diseases.
Usage
PEP is commonly used in healthcare settings when healthcare workers are potentially exposed to pathogens in the course of their work. It is also used in cases of potential sexual, needlestick, or other exposure to HIV outside of healthcare settings.
Related Terms
- Antiretroviral therapy: Treatment for HIV infection.
- Prophylaxis: Measures taken to prevent diseases.
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis: A method used to prevent disease in people who have not yet been exposed to the disease-causing agent.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Post-exposure prophylaxis
- Wikipedia's article - Post-exposure prophylaxis
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski