Improved contact tracing for Chlamydia trachomatis with experienced tracers, tracing for one year back in time and interviewing by phone in remote areas
- 1Departments of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
- 2Department of Clinical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
- 3Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden
- 4The School of Life Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Dr E Nylander, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden; elisabet.nylander{at}dermven.umu.se
- Accepted 7 January 2008
- Published Online First 23 January 2008
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the Swedish model for contact tracing and especially the “Västerbotten model” with centralised, extended contact interview periods, sometimes by telephone.
Methods: Using questionnaires, the contact tracing and interview procedure was evaluated during 2002, followed by an evaluation of contact interviewing by phone in 2005–6.
Results: Patients with diagnosed Chlamydia trachomatis infection reported on average 2.5 sexual contacts, 3.0 contacts when contact interviewing was performed at the clinic, and 2.3 contacts when performed by phone. 65% of the sexual contacts with a known test result were infected.
Conclusion: Centralised contact tracing, exploring the sexual history for at least 12 months back in time, shows good results. Combined with screening of certain risk groups it is probably one effective way of preventing C trachomatis infections. Preventing C trachomatis by primary prevention such as information and counselling is, however, still of great importance.
Footnotes
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Contributors: JB, BG and AÖ contributed to the original idea; HC, JB and EN designed the study; HC collected the data; HC, JB and EN analysed the data and contributed to writing the paper.
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Competing interests: None.
