Incorporating HIV Services into Tuberculosis Contact Investigations

This program incorporated HIV counseling, testing, and referral services into contact investigation procedures of patients with tuberculosis (TB) disease in Manhattan, New York. Through the program, individuals who had close contact to infectious TB patients are offered HIV counseling, testing and referral. The program increases provider knowledge of HIV serostatus among individuals in contact with infectious TB patients, and offers screening for active TB and Latent Tuberculosis to HIV-positive contacts. The program treats HIV-positive contacts with latent tuberculosis to prevent the progression to active TB, and prevents additional AIDS opportunistic infections among persons living with HIV through referrals to care.

The goal of this program is to provide HIV testing and services to individuals involved in tuberculosis contact investigations.

Of 614 contacts of active TB infected individuals, 569 (93%) were provided with HIV information and offered HIV counseling, testing, and referral. The project was found to increase HIV counseling and testing of high risk groups and improved TB screening of those found to be HIV-infected. Provider knowledge of HIV status increased from 2% prior to the project to 39% during the project.