The original post: /r/askscience by /u/Additional-Skin528 on 2024-10-23 13:54:22.

My layman’s understanding is that HIV integrates its DNA into cells, and once the infection is established, medication is required for a lifetime because the cells will start making more copies of the virus if it’s ever stopped. So once the virus enters the body, what exactly happens in those first 72 hours that allows a person to only take medication for a month to prevent infection and then stop? Does it take up to several days for the virus to start the integration part of its cycle, and PEP prevents it from reaching the integration stage?