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Using the internet to trace contacts of a fatal meningococcemia case-New York City, 2010.
- Source :
-
Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP [J Public Health Manag Pract] 2012 Jul-Aug; Vol. 18 (4), pp. 379-81. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- In August 2010, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) conducted an investigation to identify and provide antibiotic prophylaxis to close contacts of a patient who had died of invasive meningococcal disease. Traditional contact tracing, which relies on interviews with the patient's close associates, identified 3 persons meeting prophylaxis criteria. In addition, DOHMH learned of an Internet site used by the patient to arrange anonymous sexual encounters. By working with the Internet site administrator through a liaison, DOHMH sent notification to 15 additional persons potentially at risk for meningococcal disease; of those, at least 1 met prophylaxis criteria. The Internet has been used previously for partner notification by sexually transmitted disease control programs. This case report illustrates how the Internet can aid contact investigations for other communicable diseases, especially when identifying potential contacts is urgent, patients have died, or contacts are unknown to the patient's associates.
- Subjects :
- Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Disease Notification
Fatal Outcome
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Meningococcal Infections epidemiology
Middle Aged
New York City epidemiology
Public Health Administration
Risk Factors
Substance-Related Disorders
Contact Tracing methods
Internet statistics & numerical data
Meningococcal Infections prevention & control
Meningococcal Infections transmission
Neisseria meningitidis isolation & purification
Population Surveillance methods
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1550-5022
- Volume :
- 18
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22635194
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0b013e31823e9569