| Two weeks ago, we spoke generally and said that protective treatment for hepatitis and HIV was needed "within a few days" of infection. The precise timing for protective treatment is different for hepatitis B than it is for HIV.
Women and men who have been vaccinated against hepatitis B do not need to worry about exposure. To protect the unvaccinated against infection from possible exposure to hepatitis B, treatment must begin within 14 days. But the sooner treatment is started, the better. Prophylaxis for hepatitis B is given in two ways. It can be provided in one injection of hepatitis B immune globulin. Or it can be given in a series of three injections of hepatitis vaccine over the course of six months. Treatment with the vaccine will protect against future exposure to hepatitis B.
To protect against infection from possible exposure to HIV, treatment should be started no later than three days — 72 hours — after potential exposure. The treatment is given with a combination of medications that must be taken orally for 28 days. Treatment with this "cocktail" is not a vaccine, however, and will not protect against future exposure to HIV.
Protective treatment for HIV is not recommended for people who have high-risk sex frequently or for drug users who share needles habitually. Such treatment would need to be constant and would pose health hazards.
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