AIDS and related conditions--infection control. Guidelines for health care workers involved in patient management and investigation.

The aetiology, transmission, clinical spectrum, complicating opportunistic infections and neoplasias (such as Kaposi's sarcoma) and the diagnosis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are described. Precautions to be observed by health care workers with regard to the handling of patients with AIDS and AIDS-related conditions are detailed, as are instructions relating to the handling of blood, secretions, excretions and tissues for laboratory and health care workers. These include the use of protective clothing and sterilization of instruments, and the correct disposal of infected fomites, needles, syringes and other disposable hardware. The need for counselling patients infected with the AIDS virus is stressed.