AIDS and ARC can be spread through direct contact with bodily fluids (primarily blood and semen) or may be passed to a fetus by an infected mother. So far (1987), over 40,000 cases of AIDS have been reported, primarily among homosexual and bisexual males and intravenous drug users. As of June 1987, 1,100 health care workers have been exposed to the AIDS virus via injuries, cuts, or exposure through mucous membranes. Of these, nine workers who denied other risk factors appear to have contracted the virus through occupational exposure. To reduce the risk of transmission, health care workers should consistently use blood and body precautions for all patients. These include washing hands, disposing of needles properly, and use of an ambubag for resuscitation of AIDS patients. Gloves, gowns, and masks should be used as needed; and waste materials should be disposed of in accordance with procedures for controlling the spread of blood-borne infectious diseases.