Postexposure prophylaxis is the provision of medication to prevent illness in persons who are not protected against a particular disease by vaccination but who have been exposed to it.
Indications (areas of application)
- Persons with close (“face to face”) contact with a diseased person, ie:
- All household members from the age of 1 month, provided that there is an unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated child up to the age of 4 years, or else a person with relevant immunodeficiency or suppression (immunodeficiency).
- Unvaccinated children up to 4 years in community settings.
- For all children regardless of vaccination status and age, and for caregivers of the same group of a community facility for young children, if ≥ 2 cases have occurred there within about 2 months and unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children are cared for in the facility.
Implementation
- Individuals with close (“face to face”) contact with an ill person:
- Chemoprophylaxis – rifampicin (antibiotic).
- From 1 month: 20 mg/kg/day (maximum 600 mg) in 1 ED for 4 days.
- Adults: 600 mg p.o. in 1 ED for 4 days.
- Pregnant women: administration of rifampicin contraindicated; for prophylaxis, ceftriaxone may be considered (1 x 250 mg i.m.).
- Chemoprophylaxis – rifampicin (antibiotic).
“If prophylaxis is indicated, it should be started at the earliest possible time, no later than 7 days after the onset of illness of the index case (person from whom the spread of a disease has taken its confirmed or presumed origin). In addition to chemoprophylaxis, unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children ≤ 4 years of age should be revaccinated against Hib.”