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PEP for South Africa

Posted: May 27, 2006

QUESTION:

I am going to be working in Lesotho for several months and was told to bring 1 month's worth of PEP in case of an exposure. I am curious as to what regimen you would recommend? In addition, is your recommendation different from what you might recommend if I had a PEP in the US? Thanks


  

RESPONSE FROM:   

    Thanks for your post.

    There are a number of published guidelines about PEP; in our hands we tend to use two nucleosides (abacavir is not recommended) usually with a protease inhibitor (typically boosted, but not always) for high-risk PEP. Given the relative frequency of the use of d4T, 3TC and nevirapine for first-line treatment for HIV in southern Africa, avoidance of the use of a non-nucleoside seems prudent to me (and here in the US, nevirapine isn't recommended for PEP because of the risk of liver disease).

    So, what does this boil down to? As far as nucleosides, d4T+3TC; AZT+3TC or tenfovir+ FTC (or3TC) with lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) , fosamprenavir (FPV, Lexiva, Telzir) +/- ritonavir (Norvir) or atazanavir (ATV, Reyataz) +/- ritonavir . Since ritonavir-based products should be stored (if kept for more than 30 days, or if the room temperature exceeds 40C) in the cold, this may be problematic for you--if this is the case, then one single PIs (FPV or ATV) could be utilized (excepting the combo of tenofovir, FTC and atazanavir, since this requires the use of ritonavir). In this later case, I'd be inclined to consider using TDF + FTC + fosamprenavir.

    I hope this helps.

    Best of luck, safe travels. BY




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