Worker's TB Investigated at Hospital An employee who worked in the maternity ward of a Manhattan hospital tested positive for tuberculosis, setting off a search for anyone who might have come in contact with the infected worker, including dozens of newborn babies. Officials at Roosevelt Hospital in Midtown declined to provide details about when the worker became sick, how many people might have been exposed or when they first started reaching out to patients and staff to inform them of their possible exposure to the disease. But they said they believed the risk that other people had been infected was minimal. "Few individuals exposed to someone with TB become infected because infection generally occurs after continuous exposure over several hours," the hospital said in a statement. Still, we are taking the extraordinary precautions that we have to address this issue. Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs spread through the air, often when an infected person coughs or sneezes. However, according to the website of New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, "Brief contact with people who are sick with TB (such as on trains or buses) is unlikely to give a person TB. TB is not spread by shaking hands, sharing food or having sex. Many people who are infected do not get sick, according to the department, but still harbor the disease. If their immune system is strong, the germ is kept in check. But if their immune system is compromised, the germ can spread and do damage. Those with active tuberculosis can experience symptoms that include a severe, chronic cough, fever, chills and weight loss. While it is difficult to rid the body of tuberculosis, it can be cured with extensive treatment, often lasting four to nine months. A century ago, tuberculosis was one of the deadliest diseases in the city. But now, it is relatively rare. In 2011, there were 689 cases reported in New York City, according to a report issued by the state's Health Department. The hospital declined to provide any more details about the worker.