Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-495rp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-18T09:33:31.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Infection Control and Employee Health: AIDS Update Part 2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

William M. Valenti
William M. Valenti*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
*
University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to perplex health care providers. As our knowledge has increased, so has the number of questions, especially those related to infection control and employee health. Since the last time AIDS was reviewed in this column, additional information has become available which elaborates on some of the infection control aspects of this disease.

The human T-cell lymphotropic retrovirus (HTLV-III) appears to be the cause of AIDS. Other names used for HTLV-III are lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV) and AIDS-associated retrovirus. So called co-factors may be necessary to initiate disease after an individual acquires HTLV-III infection. Agents such as cytomegalovirus, the Epstein-Barr virus and multiple exposures to HTLV-III have been suggested as possible cofactors. Only a relatively small percentage of individuals who acquire HTLV-III antibody eventually develop overt disease or “full-blown AIDS.” Studies to date have shown that after 1 to 5 years of follow-up, 4% to 19% of seropositives developed AIDS.

In addition, the spectrum of disease caused by HTLV-III appears to be broader than originally thought. An additional 25% of those with antibody may have developed AIDS-related diseases including neurological symptoms, fever, weight loss, diarrhea, oral candidiasis and lymphadenopathy during the follow-up period.

Type
Special Sections
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 6 , Issue 10 , October 1985 , pp. 421 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1985

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Valenti, WM: Update on AIDS. Infect Control 1985;6:85–86.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Broder, S, Gallo, RC: A pathogenic retrovirus (HTLV-III) linked to AIDS. N Engl J Med 1984;311:1298–1302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Landesman, SH, Ginzburg, HM, Weiss, SH: The AIDS epidemic. N Engl J Med 1985;312:521–525.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Weiss, SH, Goedert, JJ, Sarngadharan, MG, et al: Screening test for HTLV-III (AIDS agent) antibodies. JAMA 253:221–225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Popovic, M, Sarngaoharan, MG, Read, E, et al: Detection, isolation and continuous production of cytopathic retroviruses (HTLV-III) from patients with AIDS and pre-AIDS. Science 1984;224:497–500.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Centers for Disease Control. Revision of the case definition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome for national reporting—United States. MMWR 1985;34:373–375.Google Scholar
7. Hirsch, MS, Wormser, GP, Schooley, RT, et al: Risk of nosocomial infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus III (HTLV-III). N Engl J Med 1985;312:1–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Needlestick transmission of HTLV-III from a patient in Africa. Lancet 1984;2:1370–1377.Google Scholar
9. Garner, JS, Simmons, BP: CDC Guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals. HHS Publication No(CDC) 83-8314. Available from National Technical Information Service, US Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161 (703) 487–4650.Google Scholar
10. University of California Task Force. Infection control guidelines for patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. N Engl J Med 1983;39:740–741.Google Scholar
11. Advisory Committee on Infections Within Hospitals American Hospital Association. A hospitalwide approach to AIDS. Infect Control 1984;5:242–248.Google Scholar
12. Fauci, AS, Macher, AM, Longo, DL, et al: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: Epidemiologic, clinical, immunologic, and therapeutic considerations. Ann Intern Med 1984;100:92–106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Dworskey, ME, Welch, K, Cassady, G, et al: Occupational risk for primary cytomegalovirus infection among pediatric health care workers. N Engl J Med 1983;309:950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Williams, WW: CDC Guideline for infection control in hospital personnel. HHS Publication No (CDC) 83-8314. Available from National Technical Information Service, US Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161 (703) 487–4650.Google Scholar
15. Federico, JV, Gershon, RRM: AIDS—Safety practices for clinical and research laboratories. Infect Control 1984;5:185–187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Centers for Disease Control. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS): Precautions for clinical and laboratory staff. MMWR 1982;31:577–580.Google Scholar
17. Centers lor Disease Control. Hepatitis B vaccine: Evidence confirming lack of AIDS transmission. MMWR 1984;33:685–687.Google Scholar
18. Gerberding, JL, Hopewell, PC, Kainsky, LS, et al: Transmission of hepatitis B without transmission of AIDS by accidental needlestick. N Engl J Med 1985;312:56.Google ScholarPubMed
19. Valenti, WM, Anarella, JP: A survey of hospital personnel on the understanding of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Am J Infect Control, to be published.Google Scholar
20. Centers for Disease Control. Update: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome—United Slates. MMWR 1985;34:245–248.Google Scholar
21. Groopman, JE, et al: Epidemic of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: A need for economic and social planning. Ann Intern Med 1983;99:259–261.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed