AIDS exposure in health care workers.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can be cause for apprehension not only among the public but among medical workers faced with the care of AIDS patients. Transmission, in some ways, appears similar to that of hepatitis B; consequently, similar precautions are indicated: prohibition on recapping needles, attention to proper blood drawing techniques, and handwashing before and after patient care. No amount of precaution eliminates the possibility of accidental exposure, however. Reports of occupationally transmitted human T-lymphotropic virus III attest to the need for medical institutions to formulate programs that ensure fair and effective care and follow-up of employees exposed to the AIDS virus. One such program, developed by Samaritan Health Services in Phoenix, is described.