After Possible Contact with HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
You may have been in contact with HIV. Your health care team will prescribe you medicines.
HIV causes AIDS. The medicines help lower your chance of being infected. Giving medicines after contact with an infection is called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP.
You will likely have to take 3 different medicines. The sooner you start the medicines, the better your chance to stop the virus. The medicines help the most if they are started within 72 hours.
How do you get HIV?
You may get HIV when you come in contact with someone who has HIV through:
- Sex
- Sharing needles
- Other equipment for injection into the skin
The medicines to prevent infection after contact does not mean the risk is zero. The best way to prevent HIV is to avoid contact.
Blood test results
Negative means no signs of HIV at this time. An HIV test can change from negative to positive. If it changes to positive, your body may make antibodies to fight the virus. Most times this happens in about 3 weeks. You may have flu-like symptoms. This includes:
- Fever
- Rash
- Muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
How do the PEP medicines work?
The medicines keep your body from making copies of the virus. It stops it from spreading.
What are the names of the medicines?
- Tenofovir
- Emtricitabine
- Dolutegravir
Take the medicines as soon as you get them from the pharmacy. You may take these medicines with or without food. It may help to take the medicine with food to prevent an upset stomach.
The medicines may make you:
You may have:
- Trouble sleeping
- A headache
- Diarrhea
- A rash
Call your health care provider if you have any questions.