Exposure prophylaxis

As exposure prophylaxis is any non-drug prevention ( prophylaxis that a person or an animal one), with which one reduces the likelihood pathogens exposed (exposed) and thus may be infected. In a narrower sense, exposure prophylaxis is the non-drug prevention against infection in an endemic area .

Exposure prophylaxis tries to break chains of infection by preventing the direct or indirect transmission of a disease . The term covers very different, predominantly hygienic measures:

• Basic hygiene measures such as hand washing , hand disinfection and the wearing of protective clothing , e.g. B. Protective gloves, mouth and nose protection or respiratory protection mask (for flu and open tuberculosis )
• Use of repellents (against infectious diseases that are transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods, e.g. mosquitoes , sandflies or ticks )
• Use of a mosquito net (against infectious diseases transmitted by blood-sucking insects, e.g. mosquitoes or sand flies )
• Wearing condoms (for sexually transmitted diseases , e.g. HIV / AIDS , hepatitis B )
• Use of sterile syringes ( HIV / AIDS , hepatitis B , hepatitis C )
• Use of water filters (to avoid diarrhea , typhoid , hepatitis A , cholera )
• Implementation of isolation or quarantine measures (if there is a risk of infection or epidemic )
• Avoidance of water contact ( schistosomiasis )
• Radiation protection to prevent radiation damage in the event of potential exposure to radiation

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !