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1627914 
Journal Article 
Precautions for Health Care Workers in the Care of AIDS Patients 
Gustafson, PR; Andres, N 
1986 
0 
Texas Medicine
ISSN: 0040-4470
EISSN: 1938-3223 
NIOSH/00164726 
82 
28-31 
Reports on transmissibility and relative infectivity of the AIDS virus were reviewed, and recommendations for handling AIDS patients were discussed. Available information indicates that AIDS is a communicable disease spread by intimate sexual contact, or by exposure to infected blood or body fluids. Data suggest that AIDS is not casually transmitted by accidental needle stick, and that close household contact is not a mechanism for virus transmission. The virus can be transmitted by heterosexual contact. Present knowledge suggests that AIDS patients can be cared for properly by taking usual precautions in dealing with infectious disease. Precautions to prevent transmission of the AIDS virus are the same as those required for patients with hepatitis-B virus. Health care workers must be educated in epidemiology, modes of transmission, and prevention of the disease. Pregnant health workers should be especially familiar with precautions. Separate waiting, examination, and treatment rooms are not necessary. Gloves are necessary when touching blood or other potentially infective body fluids. Care should be taken to prevent accidental skin puncture with needles. Disposable syringes should be used. Commonly used hospital housekeeping procedures are adequate. The AIDS virus is inactivated by a 10 minute exposure to 0.3 percent hydrogen-peroxide (7722841), 50 percent ethanol (64175), 35 percent isopropanol (67630), and 0.1 percent sodium-hypochlorite (7681529). In one study, 0.01 percent glutaraldehyde (111308) inactivated 95 percent of AIDS virus in 1 hour. Current evidence suggests that the risk of hepatitis-B transmission far exceeds that of AIDS. The authors conclude that adherence to guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control is adequate. 
DCN-151333; Health care personnel; Viral diseases; Viral infections; Disease prevention; Disease transmission; Disease vectors; Health hazards; Infectious diseases; Health protection