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 bat was captured and later tested positive for rabies, allowing doctors to begin the girl's post-exposure vaccination series quickly.
—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Now, the park is looking for this teenager with the hope of encouraging them to see a medical provider to discuss a post-exposure treatment for rabies.
—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
1 July 2026
Doctors knew about the bat exposure and asked public health whether rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) ought to be administered.
—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
29 June 2026
However, prompt post-exposure treatment following exposure to the virus will prevent the disease, health officials said.
—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
The dog owners who trapped the skunk were notified that they may have been exposed to rabies and were recommended to talk to their physicians about receiving post-exposure prophylaxis.
—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Fourth, ask about time-sensitive post-exposure prophylaxis.
—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Animals can pass it to humans through bites or scratches, but transmission is preventable with prompt post-exposure vaccination.
—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Dec. 2025
As officials investigated the donor’s rabies status, the cornea recipients had their grafts removed as a precaution and received post-exposure prophylaxis, a medication taken after potential exposure to rabies to prevent infection.
—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Dec. 2025
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Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Now, the park is looking for this teenager with the hope of encouraging them to see a medical provider to discuss a post-exposure treatment for rabies.
—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
1 July 2026
Doctors knew about the bat exposure and asked public health whether rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) ought to be administered.
—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
29 June 2026
However, prompt post-exposure treatment following exposure to the virus will prevent the disease, health officials said.
—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
The dog owners who trapped the skunk were notified that they may have been exposed to rabies and were recommended to talk to their physicians about receiving post-exposure prophylaxis.
—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Fourth, ask about time-sensitive post-exposure prophylaxis.
—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Animals can pass it to humans through bites or scratches, but transmission is preventable with prompt post-exposure vaccination.
—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Dec. 2025
As officials investigated the donor’s rabies status, the cornea recipients had their grafts removed as a precaution and received post-exposure prophylaxis, a medication taken after potential exposure to rabies to prevent infection.
—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Post-exposure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/post-exposure. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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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