In Practice

Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir) pre-exposure prophylaxis roll-out among South African university students: Lots of positives, but let us keep an eye on possible surprises

K Montjane, S Dlamini, C Dandara

Abstract


Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has fundamentally altered the natural history of HIV/AIDS, sharply reducing HIV-related morbidity and prolonging longevity. However, there seems to be a resurgence in HIV infection rates in some parts of the world that has prompted consideration of pre-exposure prophylaxis (pre-EP) and vaccination. Despite their good viral suppression profiles, most drugs used as part of ART also have unwanted adverse drug reactions/effects (ADRs). In this article we acknowledge the utility of pre-EP in combating HIV transmission, but we also highlight the need to prepare for management of other unexpected outcomes such as ADRs and viral resistance, to ensure the success of the programme.


Authors' affiliations

K Montjane, Pharmacogenetics Research Group, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

S Dlamini, Division of Infectious Disease and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

C Dandara, Pharmacogenetics Research Group, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Full Text

PDF (191KB)

Keywords

Truvada; Emtricitabine/tenofovir; Pre-exposure prophylaxis; Roll-out; South Africa; University students; Unexpected outcomes

Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2018;108(2):79-81. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2018.v108i2.13035

Article History

Date submitted: 2018-02-01
Date published: 2018-02-01

Article Views

Abstract views: 3782
Full text views: 1453

Comments on this article

*Read our policy for posting comments here