The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Ronald A Otten

Walid M Heneine

Thomas M Folks

Jose Gerardo Garcia Lerma

Robert Janssen

J Gerardo Garcia-Lerma

A process is provided for protecting a primate host from a self-replicating infection by an immunodeficiency retrovirus. Protection is achieved by administering to the primate host a combination of a pharmaceutically effective amount of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and a pharmaceutically effective amount of a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor prior to exposure to the immunodeficiency retrovirus. The administration is effective if provided in a single dose within 24 hours of the exposure. A regime of regular daily doses is also effective in providing protection against an immunodeficiency retrovirus becoming self-replicating after infecting a primate host. A process for controlling retrovirus transmission within a population includes the administration to a subpopulation at high risk for contracting an immunodeficiency retroviral infection the detailed combination prior to sexual exposure to a source of immunodeficiency retrovirus so as to preclude the immunodeficiency retrovirus from becoming self-replicating in a member of the subpopulation.

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Villa Rica, GA, United States of America

Ronald A Otten