This book is addressed to anyone involved with or affected by the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, including legislators, researchers, health care personnel, insurance providers, educators, health officials, executives in the pharmaceutical industry, blood bank administrators, and other concerned individuals. The following areas are covered: (1) confronting AIDS: summary and recommendations; (2) understanding of the disease and dimensions of the epidemic; (3) the future course of the epidemic and available national resources; (4) opportunities for altering the course of the epidemic; (5) care of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); (6) future research needs; and (7) international aspect of AIDS and HIV infection. Appendices include information on: (1) clinical manifestations of HIV infection; (2) serologic and virologic testing; (3) risk of HIV transmission from blood transfusion; (4) U.S. public and private sector resources for fighting AIDS; (5) the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) surveillance definition of AIDS; (6) CDC classification system for HIV infections; (7) Public Health Service plan for prevention and control of AIDS and the AIDS virus; (8) list of background papers; (9) list of presentations at public meetings; (10) acknowledgments; and (11) biographical notes on committee members. A glossary of terms is included. (JD)