Sexually Transmitted Infections in the PReP Era. Are Family Doctors Ready to Give Advice?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a method of HIV prevention is not without controversy, and there has been concern that it may lead its users to think that they no longer need other preventive measures such as condoms. Thus, healthcare providers are convinced that PrEP decreases condom use and increases sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This treatment has been studied in men who have sex with men, men and women in heterosexual HIV-discordant couples, and heterosexual men and women.

The objective of this study was to review the current state of evidence on the association of PrEP with condom use, the incidence of STIs, and the change in sexual behaviours in populations with risky practices.

PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, MD, USA), Science Direct (Elsevier Ltd., Oxford, UK), and Google Scholar (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) search engines were used during the study. We used the terms HIV, PrEP, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), MSM, condom, heterosexual men / women to search the databases.

Here, we present evidence that daily oral treatment is safe and effective in these populations studied, especially when medication adherence is high. STI testing should include extra-genital testing regardless of PrEP use to prevent health deficits and onward transmission.

Despite this safety and efficacy, we strongly advise that patients continue to use condoms as a prophylactic measure against other sexually transmitted diseases. This update addresses the benefits and precautions that must be taken when establishing PrEP treatment, focusing mainly on family doctorswho are best positioned to provide follow-up and advice to patients and their relatives.