Contact tracing
Key facts
- Contact tracing is a way that to inform people exposed to someone infected with a virus or infection that they need to see a doctor.
- Contact tracing protects the community by reducing the spread of diseases including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), viruses and other infectious diseases such as meningococcal infection.
- Contact tracing can help identify where your infection came from.
- Contact tracing may reduce your chance of being reinfected by a contact.
- If you have an infection, your doctor or health professional will help you notify your contacts, either personally or anonymously.
What is contact tracing?
Contact tracing is the process of identifying people (contacts) who may have been exposed to someone infected with virus or infection. Informing contacts that they may have been exposed to an infection can help slow the spread of that condition and reduce the chance of long term health issues.
If you have an infection, your doctor may ask for information about your contacts, so they can be tested for the infection and treated if necessary. This can help reduce the spread of the condition. Contacts are sometimes offered counselling as well, depending on the infection.
Contact tracing is commonly used to identify the contacts of people with:
- sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV
- bacterial infections that cause bloodborne viruses such as tuberculosis
- airborne viruses such as meningococcal disease
Contact tracing is currently being used to help identify people in the community at risk of mpox (previously known as monkeypox). Mpox contacts are being classed as high, medium or low risk. Preventative vaccination is recommended for high-risk contacts. Mpox is related to the virus that causes smallpox and is spread via close contact.
Until recently, contact tracing was used to identify communities at risk from COVID-19. Contact tracing may still be used in high-risk settings such as aged care facilities, residential care facilities and hospitals.
When is contact tracing recommended?
Contact tracing is recommended if you have an infection or disease that can be passed to others you've been in contact with (your contacts).
In addition to STIs and mpox, contact tracing is also recommended for infectious diseases such as:
- HIV
- hepatitis A, B and C
- Ebola virus
- measles
- tuberculosis
- meningococcal disease
- severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
The public health obligation for contact tracing can change at any time. Ask your doctor for more information about when to inform your contacts about your illness.
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How far back should I contact trace?
The timeframe for contact tracing depends on:
- the type of infection or disease
- your symptoms
- your sexual history
Different STIs have different timeframes for contact tracing. This is because the goal is to identify the contact who was the source of the infection and any other partners who may have been infected.
For the following STIs, the recommended timeframe for contact tracing is:
- chlamydia — 6 months
- gonorrhoea — 2 months
- syphilis — up to 12 months depending on the stage
- hepatitis — 6 months from onset of symptoms
For HIV, you should inform contacts that you have engaged in risky behaviours with since your last negative test.
For some STIs, the timeframe may be longer depending on your circumstances. Your doctor will be able to provide more information.
In the case of other infectious diseases, your doctor will give you relevant advice based on current public health guidelines.
Who are my contacts?
Your doctor or other healthcare professional will be able to help you identify your contacts. The definition of a contact depends on the nature of the disease and how it is spread.
Your contacts might include:
- your sexual partners
- people with whom you shared needles or contaminated personal items
- anyone exposed to your blood
- anyone who came in contact with your blood, saliva, vomit or body fluids
Depending on the type of infection, your contacts may also include:
- people who may have spent a long time with you in a confined space, such as in an office, classroom or aeroplane
- close relatives or friends who share your household, or have been in your home
- anyone who has touched you, for example, shook your hand
- people who ate food you prepared or made food for you
- people who had contact with your personal belongings or surroundings
In the case of STIs, your contacts include anyone you have had sexual contact with, regardless of whether or not you used a condom.
For blood-borne viruses, such as HIV or hepatitis B, contacts include any sexual partners as well as anyone you might have shared needles with or who may have been exposed to your blood.
For tuberculosis or meningococcal disease, a contact is usually someone you have had close and prolonged contact with, such as someone who lives in the same household.
For COVID-19, the definition of close contacts changes based on local coronavirus loads and government decisions in your area. The COVIDSafe app is no longer being used for contact tracing purposes.
Talk to your doctor to find out who your close contacts are and what steps you need to take.
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What are the steps involved in contact tracing?
Understand why contact tracing is important.
- Your doctor or healthcare professional will explain why contacts need to be informed. Many people don't show symptoms and may not know they could have the disease.
- If partners are not tested and treated, they could face serious health complications, as well as a risk of reinfection.
Identify who needs to be contacted.
- Your doctor or healthcare professional will ask questions to identify your contacts who may be affected.
- Your doctor may ask more about specific contacts, such as the type of contact and when it happened. For STIs, you may need to consider all contacts from the relevant time periods.
- Information about blood donations and exposure to sharp objects may also be important.
Inform your contacts.
You can decide how you want your contacts to be informed. You can tell your doctor or health professional which contacts you want them to inform and which contacts you will inform.
- Patient initiated: You can notify your contacts in person, anonymously or using an external resource.
- Provider initiated: You can ask the doctor or health professional to inform your contacts. Your doctor or health professional can withhold your name from your contacts if you wish.
If you decide to let contacts know personally, you will be given factsheets to share with them. The Let Them Know website has examples of simple letters and messages that you can send to your sexual contacts. This service allows you to sign the messages personally or send them anonymously.
Whether you or your healthcare professional informs your contacts, they should be told that:
- they may have the infection or disease
- they should get tested
All contacts will be encouraged to visit a doctor or clinic. They will usually be offered counselling, testing and treatment. For some conditions, such as meningococcal disease, they may be offered vaccinations.
In the case of some infectious diseases, close or household contacts of a confirmed case may be asked to self-isolate for a period of time. Your doctor will inform you and your contacts if this is required.
Notify health authorities.
- Some diseases are notifiable diseases. This means that your government health authorities must be notified immediately of new cases of a disease or infection.
- In most cases, the laboratory confirmed your diagnosis or your doctor or clinic will notify the relevant health authority.
- Public health notification requirements differ between conditions. More information can be found on your Australian State or Territory Health Department website.
Resources and support
For a list of services to help with contact tracing you can visit the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM).
There are websites available to help you inform your contacts that they be at risk of an STI.
- Let Them Know has information and resources for notifying contacts. It provides SMS and email services to notify contacts personally or anonymously.
- The Drama Downunder provides a notification service for males who have sex with males to inform their sexual partners about risks, either personally or anonymously.
- The ASHM has a table of notification services and contact tracing professionals.
If you need guidance and support for an STI:
- Visit StaySTIFree for information on where and how to get tested.
- Play Safe provides contacts for help and support on STIs, where to get tested at sexual health clinics, GPs, Indigenous Health services and other locations.
Looking for information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people?
- Better To Know is a sexual health resource that can send a confidential SMS or email to your sexual partner(s) to let them know they may be at risk of an STI.
- For more information on contact tracing and its importance, visit the Let's Yarn Talk Test Treat Trace manual.
- Young Deadly Free aims to increase testing and provide resources on STIs and blood-borne viruses for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.
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Last reviewed: September 2024
