Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis is a fancy word that means doing things to prevent something bad from happening. We do this all the time in everyday life. For example, we brush our teeth to prevent cavities, wash our hands to prevent germs from spreading, wear a helmet to prevent head injuries when we ride a bike, and put on sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

In medicine, prophylaxis means taking steps to prevent a disease or infection before it happens. This is different from treatment, which is when we try to cure a disease or make someone feel better after they already got sick.

There are different kinds of prophylaxis, depending on the situation. For example, if you are traveling to a place where there are mosquitoes that carry malaria, you might take medicine before you go to prevent getting the disease. This is called malaria prophylaxis.

If you are going to have surgery, the doctors might give you antibiotics before the operation to prevent an infection. This is called surgical prophylaxis.

If someone has been exposed to a disease, like hepatitis B, doctors might give them medicine to prevent them from getting infected. This is called post-exposure prophylaxis.

Overall, prophylaxis is a way to stay healthy and prevent bad things from happening. It's like putting on a helmet or washing your hands, but for your body!