Cotrimoxazole Preventive Therapy (CPT)

Clinical Description

• CPT prevents Pneumocystis pneumonia (PJP), diarrhoea, malaria, toxoplasmosis, and other HIV-related diseases and prolongs survival.
• Start all the following on CPT:
• HIV exposed children from age 6 weeks
• HIV infected children from age 6 weeks
• HIV infected adults
• Stop CPT in HIV exposed children when confirmed negative when discharged from exposed infant follow-up (following a negative HIV diagnostic test 6 weeks after stopping of breastfeeding)

Adults

• Give Cotrimoxazole 960mg once daily to any HIV infected person who is 30kg and above, including HIV + pregnant women.
• Do not combine CPT with SP – HIV positive pregnant women only take CPT (and ART).

Children

• Give Cotrimoxazole 120mg dispersible tablets 6-8mg/kg once daily to all HIV exposed children under 14kg until HIV infection has been ruled out, and to all HIV infected children.

Document all serious side effects on the yellow pharmacovigilance forms and submit to PMRA or report using the MEDSAFE-360 USSD platform.