post-exposure
adjective
post-ex·po·sure
ˌpōst-ik-ˈspō-zhər 
variants
or less commonly postexposure
: occurring after exposure to something (such as a pathogen)
post-exposure antiretroviral medications
post-exposure surveillance
Examples of post-exposure in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The speedy identification of cases can affect whether a person is eligible for post-exposure treatments, too, which can limit the severity of the disease and sometimes prevent illness altogether.
—
Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Doctors will typically prescribe a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a 200-milligram dose of the antibiotic doxycycline to be taken within 72 hours of a high-risk tick bite, epidemiologists told Fox News Digital.
—Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2025
In addition to such highly effective barrier methods of prevention, there are newer medicines—like pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and PEP for post-exposure protection.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 21 July 2025
People exposed to measles who cannot document immunity against the virus should get post-exposure prophylaxis — a dose of the vaccine to potentially provide protection within 72 hours of initial exposure, or immunoglobulin within six days of exposure.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 3 July 2025
People and domestic animals should always avoid physical contact with wild animals such as raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats, coyotes, which carry a higher risk of human exposure and a need for rabies post-exposure treatment.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
The brand is intentionally tackling the sun care category with a focus on post-exposure and therefore, not launching its own SPF.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 22 May 2025
This method of receiving antibiotics after exposure, known as post-exposure prophylaxis, can help reduce their chance of contracting pertussis.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
The key elements of a successful outbreak response for measles include case identification and investigation, isolating cases and quarantining those with possible exposure, and supporting vaccination, as well as post-exposure prophylaxis, Masters said.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
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Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Doctors will typically prescribe a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a 200-milligram dose of the antibiotic doxycycline to be taken within 72 hours of a high-risk tick bite, epidemiologists told Fox News Digital.
—Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2025
In addition to such highly effective barrier methods of prevention, there are newer medicines—like pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and PEP for post-exposure protection.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 21 July 2025
People exposed to measles who cannot document immunity against the virus should get post-exposure prophylaxis — a dose of the vaccine to potentially provide protection within 72 hours of initial exposure, or immunoglobulin within six days of exposure.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 3 July 2025
People and domestic animals should always avoid physical contact with wild animals such as raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats, coyotes, which carry a higher risk of human exposure and a need for rabies post-exposure treatment.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
The brand is intentionally tackling the sun care category with a focus on post-exposure and therefore, not launching its own SPF.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 22 May 2025
This method of receiving antibiotics after exposure, known as post-exposure prophylaxis, can help reduce their chance of contracting pertussis.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
The key elements of a successful outbreak response for measles include case identification and investigation, isolating cases and quarantining those with possible exposure, and supporting vaccination, as well as post-exposure prophylaxis, Masters said.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Post-exposure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/post-exposure. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
post-exposure
adjective
post-ex·po·sure
-ik-ˈspō-zhər
variants
also postexposure
: occurring after exposure (as to a virus)
post-exposure vaccination
post-exposure
adverb
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