A look at new guidelines for HIV treatment and prevention

Preventing HIV infection with post-exposure prophylaxis

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV infection is divided into 2 categories: occupational PEP (oPEP) and non-occupational PEP (nPEP). Recommendations for oPEP are described elsewhere³ and are not covered in this Practice Alert. Summarized below are the recommendations for nPEP after sex, injection drug use, and other nonoccupational exposures, which are also described on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site.⁴

Assess the need for nPEP if high-risk exposure (TABLE 3⁴) occurred ≤72 hours earlier. Before starting nPEP, perform a rapid HIV blood test. If rapid testing is unavailable, start nPEP, which can be discontinued if the patient is later determined to have HIV infection. Repeat HIV testing at 4 to 6 weeks and 3 months following initiation of nPEP. Approved HIV tests are described on the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/laboratorytests.html. Oral HIV tests are not recommended for HIV testing before initiating nPEP.

nPEP is not recommended when an individual’s risk of exposure to HIV is not high, or if the exposure occurred more than 72 hours before presentation. An algorithm is available to assist with assessing whether nPEP is recommended (FIGURE⁴).

Specific nPEP regimens. For otherwise healthy adults and adolescents, preferred nPEP consists of a 28-day course of a 3-drug combination: tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg once daily; emtricitabine 200 mg once daily; and raltegravir, 400 mg twice daily, or dolutegravir 50 mg once daily. Alternative regimens for adults and adolescents are described in the guideline, as are options for children, those with decreased renal function, and pregnant women. Those who receive more than one course of nPEP within a 12-month period should consider PrEP.

Offer immediate post-exposure HIV prophylaxis if high-risk non-occupational contact occurred within the last 72 hours and rapid HIV testing is unavailable.

When additional vaccination is needed. For victims of sexual assault, offer prophylaxis against STD (TABLE 4⁴) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Those who have not been vaccinated against HBV should receive the first dose at the initial visit. If the exposure source is known to be HBsAg-positive, give the unvaccinated patient both hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin at the first visit. The full hepatitis B vaccine series should then be completed according to the recommended schedule and the vaccine product used. Those who have completed hepatitis B vaccination but who were not tested with a post-vaccine titer should receive a single dose of hepatitis B vaccine.

Continue to: Victims of sexual assault...