How to prevent PCP

May 2008     View PDF     En español

Can I ever stop preventive therapy?

Yes. Stopping preventive therapy seems to be okay if your blood tests show a certain level of health and you remain free of worrisome symptoms (like fevers, fungal infections, etc.). If your CD4 count goes above 200 and stays there for three months, it may be safe to stop taking PCP medicine if you’re otherwise free of symptoms. However, some researchers suggest that six months is a safer length of time or that a CD4 count above 300 is a safer level for when to stop. Discuss the pros and cons of stopping with your doctor and devise a plan for safely stopping therapy if you feel this might be right for you.

If a person develops PCP when his or her CD4 count is above 200, then it’s recommended that PCP prevention be given for life. PCP prevention should be started whenever your CD4+ cell count drops below 200, CD4 percentage drops below 14%, or there’s evidence of persistent fungal infections and/or fever. If you have stopped using PCP prevention before, restarting is necessary if these conditions return. There are no guidelines in place to recommend if or when children can safely stop their PCP prevention therapy, but doctors will likely make recommendations based on a child’s immune health.