[AIDS and anesthesia]

AIDS will become a bigger and bigger problem in future, especially for medical staff who will be increasingly in contact with infected patients. The epidemiology of HIV infection (blood, vaginal secretion, sperm) and the threat of this infection require particularly strict observance of hygienic measures. Unqualified handling of infected material such as HIV-contaminated injection needles or pointed objects represent a major risk of HIV infection for medical personnel. Despite the high degree of safety in the preparation of banked blood we cannot completely guarantee that only absolutely safe HIV-free blood will be transfused. Hence, indication for transfusion must be very strictly limited. Autologous transfusion as a safe alternative to homologous transfusion should be employed more frequently. Seroconversion rate after needle-point injury is now stated to be one per cent. According to Goebel et al. in AIFO 5:227 (1988) four nurses carried out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in an AIDS patient who had jumped from the third floor of a building in attempted suicide. Despite considerable blood contact the HIV antibody tests remained negative even now after 18 months.