A UCSF study has found that individuals potentially exposed to the HIV virus through sexual contact or injection drug use will, given the opportunity, seek preventive treatment within 72 hours of the exposure and will take their medications as prescribed despite side effects. When started within 72 hours of exposure to HIV, PEP significantly reduces the risk of viral transmission from perinatal or occupational exposures such as accidental needle sticks.
PEP is currently part of treatment guidelines for perinatal and occupational exposures.
Our study demonstrates that you can get people to come in after they have been exposed to HIV through sexual contact or injection drug use. In fact, those with the highest risk of HIV infection will show up. We also had concerns that people might not adhere to the medication regimen, in part due to the medications side effects. We found that these exposed persons do take their medications as scheduled and that while they often experience toxic side effects, these toxicities do not last. Participants in the study, which took place from December 1997 through March 1999, had to come in for treatment within 72 hours of sexual or injection drug use exposure to HIV from partners who were known or suspected to be HIV-infected.