Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

Disclaimer: If you think you have been exposed to HIV, please talk to a health care provider about PEP as soon as possible (within 72 hours). Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention method where individuals start a 28-day course medication within 72 hours of HIV exposure in order to prevent an infection….

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an HIV prevention method that involves HIV-negative individuals at risk of HIV infection taking a daily medication before being exposed to the virus. “Pre-exposure” means before coming into contact and “prophylaxis” stands for preventative treatment.1 At the time this article was updated, only two medications, under the brand names Truvada® and Descovy®, have been…

A Timeline of HIV/AIDS

*This timeline primarily focuses on the AIDS epidemic as it was in the United States. For details on the origin of HIV/AIDS, click here. 1981 A cluster of patients in the United States are reported with a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and a rare type of cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma. These conditions are usually…

HIV/AIDS

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a sexually transmitted virus that, if left untreated, can progress to AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, and is the symptomatic part of this infection. Because HIV is a “retrovirus,” each virus is encased in a protein shell, which allows them to attack and alter cells from the host…