The Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District - Contact Investigations

The Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District

Text Box: Contact Investigations Local TB-control programs are responsible for initiating and conducting contact investigations and evaluating their outcomes. The initial TB interview with a patient is conducted within 3 business days of receipt of a report.

Text Box: Following the diagnosis of a suspected or confirmed case, a field investigation is conducted to determine which individuals have come into contact with the patient during the period of time when they may have been contagious. Field investigations involve locating patients or contacts and obtaining relevant information . This involves notifying the place of employment, school or other social networks. The sensitive nature of medical information requires that strict confidentiality be maintained in dealing with the public. Ensuring that appropriate patient care is provided is the main goal of the investigation. Effective field investigations: Reduce disease morbidity Help avoid relapse Prevent transmission Halt the progression to disease in infected contacts

Text Box: The steps of a contact investigation include: Defining the beginning and end of the period of infectiousness Medical record review Case interview and re-interview Field investigation Clinical evaluation of contacts Primary prophylaxis of high-risk contacts Treatment of contacts with latent infection Evaluation and review of data

| Case Management |Contact Investigation | Directly Observed Therapy | Medical Records |

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