AIDS specialty journals

Prior to 1983, there were no journals specific to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Publications relevant to the disease are numerous, and are scattered among many sources. These factors, as well as the rate at which relevant information is published, limit the efficient methods by which researchers can obtain current information on AIDS. Use of an "electronic textbook" is one way; online searching of bibliographic databases is another. However, many of the specialty journals are not yet included in major biomedical indices. Thus, they are not brought to the attention of researchers or librarians. Whether any of these titles will gain the status of the primary journals in general medicine remains to be seen. The place of AIDS as the nation's number one health priority could mean that the most important findings may continue to be published in the primary general medical journals. In the meantime, however, librarians should be aware of the content of these journals, and the differences among them. Individual reviews are presented, covering AIDS, AIDS Alert, AIDS Clinical Digest, AIDS Medical Report, AIDS Patient Care, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Newsletter, CDC AIDS Weekly, Immunodeficiency Reviews, and Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.