Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a short course of preventive treatment given after a person has been exposed to an infectious agent in order to stop an infection from becoming established. It is most widely known in the context of HIV, where it consists of antiretroviral medication taken for a defined period foll…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 2 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 6× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2324-7339 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a short course of preventive treatment given after a person has been exposed to an infectious agent in order to stop an infection from becoming established. It is most widely known in the context of HIV, where it consists of antiretroviral medication taken for a defined period following a potential exposure, such as through unprotected sex, sharing of injection equipment, sexual assault, or occupational injury among healthcare workers. PEP is also used for other pathogens, including hepatitis B, rabies, and certain other infections, with the specific regimen depending on the exposure. Its effectiveness depends heavily on prompt initiation, ideally as soon as possible after exposure and within a limited window, followed by completion of the full course and appropriate follow-up testing. As an emergency prevention measure, PEP complements other strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis, safer practices, and infection control. This page draws on the journal's peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to HIV/AIDS and prevention, including work on the medical management of sexual assault survivors and on knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward infection prevention and control among healthcare workers, contexts in which post-exposure prophylaxis is an important component of preventive care. It provides an encyclopedic overview of PEP and its role in preventing infection after exposure.

Research published in this journal

2 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 2 articles above have been cited 6 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Clinical Research In HIV AIDS And Prevention (ISSN 2324-7339).

Journal editorial board
Manoj Sarma · United States Mohammed Merzah · Hungary Marta Talavera · Spain

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.