Chemoprophylaxis

A chemoprophylaxis (also Chemoprophylaxis ) is the preventive ( prophylactic ) passing an anti-infective agent , an infectious disease , a bacterial infection or the spread of a pathogen to prevent. Chemoprophylaxis is one of the prophylactic dispositions of infection protection . Chemoprophylaxis was carried out even before the era of antibiotics .

Examples:

Perioperative chemoprophylaxis: During operations in the gastrointestinal tract or in infected wounds, bacteria can wash into the bloodstream. To prevent infection, you are given an antibiotic .
Recurrent urinary tract infections : For people who frequently have recurrent urinary tract infections, to prevent permanent damage, it may be necessary to prescribe an antibiotic over a long period of time to prevent illness.
Post- exposure prophylaxis in the case of contagious diseases: In order to prevent an infection or infectious disease from developing after a proven or suspected contact, a specific therapy is administered immediately after contact with the pathogen.
Malaria prophylaxis : In addition to exposure prophylaxis (protection against mosquito bites) and stand-by prophylaxis (emergency medication), chemoprophylaxis is part of malaria prophylaxis.

literature

Karl Wurm, AM Walter: Infectious Diseases. In: Ludwig Heilmeyer (ed.): Textbook of internal medicine. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Göttingen / Heidelberg 1955; 2nd edition, ibid. 1961, pp. 9-223, here: p. 43.

↑ JL Kritschewsky, KA Friede: The chemoprophylaxis of relapsing fever and trypanosomal diseases through the stovarsolan. Leipzig 1925.