HIV Prevention

HIV Prevention refers to tools, interventions, and strategies taken in order to prevent transmission of HIV. We have more methods available today than ever to prevention HIV transmission. There are prevention interventions that can be used by people who do and don’t have HIV. The Pacific AIDS Education & Training Center (Pacific AETC) can offer technical assistance and trainings with providers and healthcare programs in HIV prevention.

Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U) or Treatment as Prevention (TasP)

Taking antiretroviral medication consistently has been proven to reduce the level of the virus to an undetectable level in a person with HIV. Once HIV levels are confirmed undetectable with a laboratory test, it is not possible for the person with HIV to transmit the virus through sex to a person who does not have it. In other words, and undetectable person’s HIV virus is untransmittable, hence the term undetectable=untransmittable (U=U). U=U is a community driven effort to amplify the message of TasP.

Local Partner Experts:
Pacific AETC – Central Valley & Northern Interior Pacific AETC – Hawai`i & US-Affiliated Pacific Islands Pacific AETC – Los Angeles Area Pacific AETC – Nevada Pacific AETC – Orange County & Inland Empire Pacific AETC – San Diego & Imperial

HIV and Pregnancy

There are many ways to lower the risk of passing HIV to your unborn baby to almost zero. Pacific AETC educates social workers, doctors, nurses, etc. in clinic and hospital settings to discuss options for conception, prenatal care, and delivery protocols. Vertical transmission (previously known as mother to child transmission) prevention involves prompt action of diagnosis and treatment to pregnant people so that they might reduce the possibility of transmitting the disease to their children during pregnancy or childbirth.

Local Partner Experts:
Pacific AETC – Bay Area, North & Central Coast Pacific AETC – Central Valley & Northern Interior Pacific AETC – Orange County & Inland Empire Pacific AETC – San Diego & Imperial

HIV 101

This course will give an overview of what the disease is and how it’s transmitted. It will introduce to people the possible symptoms HIV infection, a brief history of the disease, and new and existing medications to HIV prevention (including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)), as more recent developments in this on-going battle to end the HIV epidemic. Both clinical providers and their patients hopefully would benefit from providers receiving this type of training.

Local Partner Experts:
All Local Partners

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

PrEP is medication that is administered to someone to prevent them from contracting HIV. This medication is taken daily and, if used routinely, is 99% successful at preventing HIV from taking hold of the body. This Pacific AETC training provides accurate and recent developments involving the drugs available to use as PrEP.

Local Partner Experts:
All Local Partners

Non Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) and Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

nPEP is medication taken for situations in which HIV transmission is highly likely after an encounter not involving work. For example, after sex or after sharing needles (to inject drugs). PEP is medication taken after exposure to HIV while on duty. For example, if a doctor or nurse accidentally pricks themselves with a needle used to treat a person who has HIV. In both cases, medications should be started as soon as possible (within 72 hours) for the highest success rate. The Pacific AETC offers presentations, communities of practice, clinical consultations, and distance-based learning opportunities that address this topic.

Local Partner Experts:
All Local Partners