Symposium on infections in the compromised host. The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a recently recognized syndrome caused by a newly described retrovirus, Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus-III(HTLV-III). A disease that selectively attacks the immune system, manifested by opportunistic infections and unusual neoplasms, AIDS has continued to be confined primarily to several unique at-risk populations. AIDS has evoked unprecedented interest in the medical community, and care of patients with this nearly universally fatal syndrome presents many unique challenges to the health care team.