A resident doctor sustained a needle stick injury while sampling blood of a patient who is HIV positive. A decision is taken to offer him post-exposure prophylaxis. Which one of the following would be the best recommendation?

Ans. is 'c' i.e. Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Indinavir for 4 weeksRef. Harrison. 16th/e p 1136, 37 (15th/e, pl990)Needle stick injury is the most common cause of HIV infection among health care workers.The guidelines for post-exposure prophylaxis of HIV areFor routine exposuresa combination of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors for 4 weeks.For high risk or complicated exposuresa combination of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus a protease inhibitor for 4 weeks.In spite of the guidelines regimen B is given for all types of exposureThus the treatment is obvious in this doctor.Also Remember * Examples of* Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors* Protease inhibitors* Zidovudine* Saquinavir* Lamivudine* Indinavir* Stavudine* Ritonavir* Didanosine* Nelfinavir* Zalcitabine* Amprenavir* Abacavir