Explain Partner Notification.

Partner notification, also known as contact tracing or partner notification services, is a public health intervention aimed at identifying and notifying individuals who may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as HIV, syphilis, or gonorrhea, by an infected person. The primary goal of partner notification is to prevent further transmission of the infection by informing potentially exposed partners about their risk and encouraging them to seek testing, treatment, and preventive measures.

In partner notification, trained healthcare professionals or disease intervention specialists work with individuals diagnosed with an STI to identify and confidentially notify their sexual or needle-sharing partners about their potential exposure to the infection. This process may involve providing information about the infection, discussing risk reduction strategies, and offering referrals to testing and treatment services. Partner notification respects the privacy and confidentiality of both the index case (the person diagnosed with the STI) and their partners while promoting public health efforts to control the spread of STIs within communities.