AIDS: issues for respiratory care practitioners

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has recently received considerable media attention. Health care workers, including respiratory care practitioners, are concerned about the many medical and psychosocial implications of the disease. This article reviews the epidemiology and clinical features of AIDS. Health care workers do not have a demonstrably higher incidence of AIDS infection than does the general population; risks to the respiratory care practitioner may be minimized by adherence to the suggested guidelines for infection control. Respiratory care practitioners are ethically bound to treat all patients, regardless of the nature of their disease; the guidelines given in this article will help practitioners do this.