Audit of tuberculosis contact tracing procedures in south Gwent

A survey of part of the work of the tuberculosis contact clinic over a 5-yr period (1984-1988 inclusive) is presented. There were 106 notified index cases and 781 contacts were screened. Following chest radiography, Mantoux tests and BCG vaccinations, only four contacts who were tuberculin-positive required chemoprophylaxis. One asymptomatic adult casual contact was treated as an active case because of shadowing on a chest radiograph. Two other cases of active tuberculosis came to light but not through the routine contact tracing procedures. All cases given treatment were contacts of a single index case and the family case history is described. Because of experience with this family the contact tracing procedures will continue locally but will be monitored prospectively. In view of different findings in other centres it is suggested a further national survey is indicated with special attention to regional variations.