Infectious Diseases

Answer 3 No further work-up or treatment. The need for PEP for HIV infection is based on the type of exposure and the infection status of the source.3 In this instance, the exposure to blood occurred on intact skin and would be not considered an exposure. Hence, no further work-up is necessary. If the exposure resulted from a needle-stick injury or involved the mucosa or nonintact skin, PEP would have to be considered. The choice of 2 or 3 antiretroviral drugs is dictated by the status of the HIV infection of the source patient, with 3 drugs being recommended for more advanced disease. REFERENCE 3. US Public Health Service. Updated US Public Health Service guidelines for the management of occupational exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and recommendations for postexposure prophylaxis. MMWR Recomm Rep 2001;50(RR-11):1-52. Click here to return to the questions

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