pre-exposure prophylaxis
noun
variants
or less commonly preexposure prophylaxis
plural pre-exposure prophylaxes also preexposure prophylaxes
: a preventive treatment for infections or diseases (such as HIV or rabies) that involves administering one or more drugs to an uninfected person who is at a high risk of exposure to a particular pathogen
If you are in a relationship with someone who has HIV, it's important to talk to your health care provider about what you can do to prevent contracting the disease. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, can give you the peace of mind to enjoy your relationship knowing you have taken that precaution.—Pamela Crain
Travelers should consider preexposure prophylaxis … vaccination if planned activities include encounters with domestic or wild animals, if staying longer than a month in an area where dog rabies is common, or if visiting remote areas where medical care may be delayed.—Kathryn Lincoln and Jerline Hsin
—abbreviation PrEP
compare post-exposure prophylaxis
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