WHAT IS PrEP?
PrEP stands for “Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis”, meaning it is a tool to stop infection (“prophylaxis”) that is taken before you are exposed to HIV or any other possible harm. Current clinical guidelines for PrEP recommend daily use of PrEP medication (Descovy, Truvada or the generic versions) for maximum HIV prevention benefits.
PrEP is endorsed by the World Health Organization for people who are HIV negative and at risk for becoming positive. It has been shown to be as high as 99% effective at reducing risk for HIV when taken every day (without missing a dose). It is so effective that we call the risk “negligible” if a person is correctly taking their daily PrEP.
PrEP works by disrupting HIV and preventing it from establishing a foothold in the body and causing a systemic infection.
PrEP does not prevent any other sexually transmitted infections (e.g. syphilis, chlamydia, gonnorhea, HPV, hepatitis C) and is not a cure for HIV.
PrEP does not protect against other
sexually transmitted infections,
and it is not a cure for HIV.
Is PrEP right for me?
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WHAT IS UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD?
Viral load is the amount of HIV present in a milliliter (mL) of blood. Viral load testing is a regular part of a health check-ups for people who are HIV-positive. You may see a viral load measure written as “undetectable” or “suppressed.”
Undetectable refers to a viral load that is below levels that can be detected on standard HIV viral load tests. This does not mean the virus is gone. In Ontario, this means that there are 40-50 copies of the HIV virus per mL of blood. This is important because it means they cannot pass HIV on to someone else.
A person’s viral load being suppressed does not mean they are cured of HIV as there is no cure. They are still HIV-positive, but medications allow their immune system to function regularly and prevent their ability to pass HIV to someone else sexually.
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