Prohylaksia

Prohylaksia is a term used to denote practices and measures aimed at preventing disease, injury, or other undesirable outcomes. It is closely related to the English word prophylaxis, derived from Greek pro- meaning before and phylaxia meaning guarding.

In medicine, prophylaxis includes strategies to prevent illness or its consequences. Primary prophylaxis prevents disease before it occurs, such as vaccination, chemoprophylaxis, and certain lifestyle interventions. Secondary prophylaxis aims to prevent progression after a disease begins, including regular screening to detect disease early and, in some conditions, preventive therapies to avoid recurrence. Tertiary prophylaxis seeks to prevent complications or disability once a disease is established, for example through rehabilitation or measures to reduce organ damage.

Clinical contexts include surgical prophylaxis, where antibiotics are given around the time of surgery to prevent postoperative infections; dental prophylaxis, where preventive antibiotics may be used for select patients before invasive procedures to reduce risk of infection; and travel or military prophylaxis, such as malaria chemoprophylaxis. Public health prophylaxis encompasses vaccination programs, vector control, quarantine, and hygiene measures designed to reduce the incidence and transmission of infections.

The term prohylaksia is sometimes encountered in non-English or transliterated texts; in standard medical English, prophylaxis is the preferred term. Prophylaxis as a concept covers a broad spectrum of preventive actions across clinical, dental, surgical, and public health settings.