Pilot implementation of a contact tracing intervention for tuberculosis case detection in Kisumu County, Kenya

Leveraging an existing community health strategy, a contact tracing intervention was piloted under routine programmatic conditions at three facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya. Data collected during a 6-month period were compared to existing programmatic data. After implementation of the intervention, we found enhanced programmatic contact tracing practices, noting an increase in the proportions of index cases traced, symptomatic contacts referred, referred contacts presenting to a facility for tuberculosis screening, and eligible contacts started on isoniazid preventive therapy. As contact tracing is scaled up, health ministries should consider the adoption of similar contact tracing interventions to improve contact tracing practices.