On Nov. 5, 1982, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published infection control recommendation for AIDS for clinical and laboratory staff. There is presently no evidence of AIDS transmission to hospital personnel from contact with affected patients or clinical specimens. Because of concern about a possible transmissible agent, however, interim suggestions are appropriate to guide patient-care and laboratory personnel, including those whose work involves experimental animals.

CDC has published recommended precautions for clinical and laboratory personnel who work with AIDS patients. Precautions for these and allied professionals are designed to minimize the risk of mucosal or parenteral exposure to potentially infective materials. Such exposure can occur during direct patient care or while working with clinical or laboratory specimens and from inadvertent or unknowing exposure to equipment, such as needles, contaminated with laboratory personnel who work with AIDS patients.

Precautions for these and allied professionals are designed to minimize the risk of mucosal or parenteral exposure to potentially infective materials. Such exposure can occur during direct patient care or while working with clinical or laboratory specimens and from inadvertent or unknowing exposure to equipment, such as needles, contaminated with potentially infective materials. Caution should be exercised in handling secretions or excretions, particularly blood and body fluids, from the following: patients who meet the existing surveillance definition of AIDS; patients with chronic, generalized lymphadenopathy, unexplained weight loss, and/or prolonged unexplained fever when the patient’s history suggests an epidemiologic risk for AIDS; and all hospitalized patients with possible AIDS.