What Happens When PEP or PrEP Fails?

A case report provides at least some reassurance that failure of antiretroviral prophylaxis does not necessarily result in drug resistance.

Disappointing results from HIV vaccine and microbicide trials (AIDS Clin Care Aug 4 2008 and Jul 30 2008) have led to increasing interest in other potential prevention strategies, such as the use of antiretroviral agents as preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). Neither strategy is anticipated to be 100% effective, and, when PEP or PrEP fails, little is known about the course of subsequent HIV infection.

In this case report, investigators describe a young man who seroconverted after multiple serial high-risk sexual exposures despite two periods of PEP treatment with tenofovir/FTC (Truvada) separated by only 22 days. The authors found no evidence of genotypic resistance to tenofovir or FTC on either consensus or clo…

Reviewing Author

Raphael J. Landovitz, MD

What Happens When PEP or PrEP Fails?

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Reviewing Author