Hundreds of babies in Bradford are facing tests for tuberculosis after a doctor working in Bradford Royal Infirmary's maternity unit was found to have contracted the disease.

The male junior doctor, who has not been named, was admitted last weekend to the infirmary and tests revealed he had the illness.

Now parents of 400 babies who could have been in contact with him since he began work in maternity on February 4 are being visited at home by a 70-strong team of specialist nurses and midwives to explain the situation.

Health chiefs are stressing the risk to babies is extremely small but are setting up special clinics to answer queries and arrange tests or treatment to safeguard each baby's health. Parents and other adults are not at risk.

A further 600 babies born at the infirmary since February have been identified as having no contact with the doctor and parents will be sent letters explaining there is no risk next week.

A special hotline has been set up for inquiries.

Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust medical director, Dr Michael Smith, said expert advice had been sought at a national and local level.

Yesterday 211 families had been contacted and further visits were being made today and tomorrow.

"Contrary to popular belief, tuber-culosis is not a highly infectious disease and normally requires prolonged close contact to be passed from one person to another," he said.

"We must stress that in such cases the risk of infection is extremely low indeed and that the routine follow-up action, which is already well under way, is very much precautionary.

"We understand the inevitable concern that may be caused and we are treating this matter extremely seriously. Our number one priority is to ensure we safeguard the health of our patients and the course of action we are taking reflects this."

Today Dr Smith said ten people had contacted the hot-line after the alert was revealed in early editions of the Telegraph & Argus and added: "We expect to receive more calls later today after people have had a chance to read the newspapers. The response we have had so far from parents has been positive. The majority of people are happy that we are taking action."

Dr Smith said special evening clinics would begin next week and first test results would be available by Friday.

Babies could not be tested until six weeks after their last contact and further tests would be carried out in coming weeks.

He said all new staff were given routine health screening on beginning work and the doctor concerned had shown no signs of TB.

Julie Maran and Andrew Marshall, whose daughter Lucy Marshall was born six weeks premature at the BRI, are angry they weren't contacted by the hospital earlier.

Miss Maran, 27, of Collins Street, Great Horton, said: "All the midwives are tested for TB so why not this doctor? It's an absolute disgrace. We're trying to keep things in perspective because there is a very slim chance Lucy will be affected, but we should have been told earlier.

"Because Lucy was born premature her immune system is weaker. She's already on vitamins, now she will have to take antibiotics for six weeks, have a TB injection and then go for a chest X-ray. It's just one thing after another."

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