What additional precaution should be taken if an AIDS patient has signs of respiratory infection?

Using a mask when caring for an AIDS patient who shows signs of a respiratory infection is essential for several reasons. Individuals with AIDS have compromised immune systems, making them more vulnerable to infections. Respiratory infections can be opportunistic in these patients, meaning they are caused by pathogens that typically do not affect individuals with healthy immune systems.

Wearing a mask serves multiple purposes: it helps prevent the transmission of airborne pathogens to the patient and also protects the healthcare provider from potentially infectious secretions from the patient. This is particularly important in the context of respiratory infections, which can spread through droplets when the patient coughs, sneezes, or talks.

It's critical to maintain a safe environment for both the patient and the healthcare provider, reducing the risk of further complications and maintaining infection control measures. Other options, while they may contribute to patient care strategies, do not address the immediate need to prevent infection transmission in a respiratory context as effectively as wearing a mask does.