International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-78023620120414662662ENHIV Department of Neurology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Vibhooti Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh-226010, IndiaDepartment of Dermatology & V.D., JLN Hospital and Research Centre, Bhilai, IndiaDepartments of Neurosurgery, JIPMER, Pondicherry-605006, IndiaDepartment of Geriatric Mental Health, King George Medical University, LucknowObstetrics and Gynaecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry-605006, IndiaDepartment of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry-607402, India20120414<p>Dear Editor,</p> In the context of HIV, postexposure prophylaxis refers to the set of services that are provided to manage the specific aspects of exposure to HIV and to help prevent HIV infection in a person exposed to the risk of getting infected by HIV.[1] It includes first aid, counseling, risk assessment, laboratory investigations based on the informed consent of the exposed person, and source and depending on the risk assessment, the provision of short-term antiretroviral drugs with followup evaluation. [2] Needle prick and injury by sharp objects are common problems faced by many surgeons/health care workers. But in many situations, the exposed person may not be aware of the measures taken to prevent the disease. The importance of knowledge about postexposure prophylaxis increases in view of a study done by Wig, which showed that 62.8% of the participants were not aware of postexposure prophylactic measures to be taken if there is an occupational exposure to the blood of a HIV-positive patient.[3]http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/662http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/662/576