Metallic Ag appears in the regions of spinel ceramics adjusted just to conduct contact denoted by vertical o axis (oa domain in Fig. 3), as well as in a more extended deep region in ceramics bulk (ab domain in Fig. 3).
This includes the labor-intensive work of conducting contact investigations and following up with each individual to ensure they complete their course of treatment.
However, criteria to decide when to conduct contact tracing are not well established.
Indeed, in Montreal, there have been some successes but also substantial challenges in conducting contact investigations among users of shelters and drop-in centres[ 19, 25].
Health care personnel working in disaster relief must suspect and rapidly diagnose TB and then conduct contact investigations in collaboration with local public health departments.
Field supervisors supported HEWs by delivering smeared slides to the laboratory, feeding back results to the HEWs, initiating treatment, conducting contact tracing and following up smear-negative cases.
A parallel survey was performed at the same time to detect active TB cases and to conduct contact tracing in the patients' villages.
Factors associated with failure to conduct contact tracing for smear-positive cases include to be diagnosed in hospitals B and D (hospitals without any specifics screening services contacts), birthplace in India, Pakistan or North Africa, unknown district of residence, HIV infection, homeless and those without CHW intervention (Table 2).
Factors associated with failure to conduct contact tracing for all forms of TB include male, hospitals B and D, birthplace other than Latin American countries, unknown district of residence, incarceration history, homeless, index who had culture-negative or extra-pulmonary TB or had a normal chest X-ray and no CHW intervention (Table 3).
