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A R Lifson

Publications and source records attributed to A R Lifson.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Acquisition and transmission of HIV.

Transmission of HIV can occur during sexual contact, through parenteral exposure to blood and blood products, and from mother to child during the perinatal period. The possibility that some previously unrecognized route of HIV transmission might exist or could occur in the future can never be entirely excluded. For this reason, epidemiologic surveillance for new transmission routes must continue. However, if such routes do exist, they appear to be so unusual that concern regarding them does not justify any change in current public health policies for dealing with HIV-infected persons or controlling the AIDS epidemic.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

National surveillance of AIDS in health care workers.

Information obtained for all persons with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) reported to the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, includes a question about employment in a health care or clinical laboratory setting. As of May 1, 1986, a total of 922 (5.5%) of 16,748 adults with AIDS reported employment in such settings. Ninety-five percent of these health care workers belonged to recognized high-risk groups for AIDS; the proportion with "no identified risk" has not increased with time. All AIDS patients (including health care workers) who do not belong to high-risk groups are referred for further investigation. Of 88 health care workers initially reported with no identified risk, ten were from countries where heterosexual transmission is believed to play a major role; additional information was unobtainable or incomplete for 17 individuals. Of 61 persons on whom interviews or other follow-up information was obtained, 44 (73%) were reclassified. Specific occupational exposures that could be implicated as the source of human immunodeficiency virus infection were not identified for any health care workers with AIDS. A review of surveillance data supports other studies indicating that the risk of human immunodeficiency virus transmission in the occupational setting is low.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and HTLV-III/LAV infection.

Although AIDS and HTLV-III/LAV infection are rare in adolescents, the number of infected adolescents in increasing. Adolescents may place themselves at risk for becoming infected through sexual exposure and use of intravenous drugs. The management of infected adolescents includes management of social, emotional, and psychologic problems as well as the physical condition. Providers of health and social care for adolescents need to be informed regarding HTLV-III/LAV infection in this population. Prevention depends largely on appropriate education of the teenage population.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Severe opportunistic infections in AIDS patients with late-stage disease.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians caring for patients who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) need to be aware of the wide variety of infectious diseases that can occur. Although Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is the most common AIDS-defining infection, other opportunistic infections associated with advanced immunodeficiency can develop after an initial diagnosis. METHODS: To ascertain AIDS-defining opportunistic infections that developed at the time of or after an AIDS diagnosis, and intensive chart review was conducted for 45 homosexual men with AIDS who died from 1990 through 1992. Time to death after first occurrence of these infections was also determined. RESULTS: The most common opportunistic infection occurring as the initial AIDS-defining illness was PCP (31 percent). The most common opportunistic infection occurring as a secondary disease was cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease (40 percent), followed by disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (33 percent) and invasive candidiasis (31 percent). Each of these latter infections was associated with a poor prognosis (median time to death < or = 8 months). CONCLUSIONS: Diseases caused by CMV, disseminated M. avium complex, and invasive candidiasis were uncommon presenting manifestations of AIDS but were common secondary diseases that tended to be associated with limited survival. With increasing survival and a declining incidence of PCP as a result of medical therapy, other severe opportunistic infections might become increasingly recognized.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗