In public health, contact tracing is the process of identifying persons who may have been exposed to an infected person ("contacts") and subsequent collection of further data to assess transmission. By tracing the contacts of infected individuals, testing them for infection, and isolating or treating the infected, this public health tool aims to reduce infections in the population. In addition to infection control, contact tracing serves as a means to identify high-risk and medically vulnerable populations who might be exposed to infection and facilitate appropriate medical care. In doing so, public health officials utilize contact tracing to conduct disease surveillance and prevent outbreaks. In cases of diseases of uncertain infectious potential, contact tracing is also sometimes performed to learn about disease characteristics, including infectiousness. Contact tracing is not always the most efficient method of addressing infectious disease. In areas of high disease prevalence, screening or focused testing may be more cost-effective. The goals of contact tracing include: Interrupting ongoing transmission and reduce the spread of an infection Alerting contacts to the possibility of infection and offer preventive services or prophylactic care Offering diagnosis, counseling and treatment to already infected individuals If the infection is treatable, helping prevent reinfection of the originally infected patient Learning about the epidemiology of a disease in a particular population Being a tool in multifaceted prevention strategy to effectively curb the spread of an infectious disease. History Contact tracing programs were first implemented to track syphilis cases in the 1930s. Initial efforts proved to be difficult given the stigmatization associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Individuals were reluctant to report infections because they were concerned for their privacy. Revealing partner history and details about sexual activity was challenging as it affected relationships among individuals and community members. In addition, public health officials targeted certain populations such as sex workers, minorities, and at-risk populations further eliciting feeling of fear, shame, and guilt in society. With these negative implications of contact tracing, particularly in the space of sexually transmitted infections, public health officials found it difficult to elicit information from exposed individuals. During the HIV epidemic, many affected person were hesitant to report information, which hindered the efforts to understand HIV and curb the spread. To combat some of the negative stigma associated with contact tracing and STIs, health departments sometimes referred to contact tracing as partner notification in the 1980s. Partner notification, also called partner care, is