By Dallas Hartman of Dallas W. Hartman P.C. posted in Hepatitis C on Thursday, July 19, 2012.
According to CBS Boston, a medical tech has been arrested in connection with the recent Hepatitis C outbreak in New Hampshire.
Reports claim that police arrested David Matthew Kwiatkowski, a traveling medical tech who was worked in the catheterization lab at Exeter Hospital from April 2011 to May 2012. The hospital says that a background check and drug screening was performed prior to Kwiatkowski's hiring.
There are 31 people who were patients at Exeter that have contracted the same strain of Hepatitis C over the last few months. It is believed that Kwiatkowski used the drug fentanyl, a powerful anesthetic meant for patients, then refill the syringes with another substance like saline and then use the same syringe on patients.
Co-workers reported Kwiatkowski's behavior as unusual. They claimed that he would run out during procedures sweating and even come in on days off to work on procedures. Other workers claimed that they noticed tracks marks on his arms.
Kwiatkowski is at a Massachusetts hospital for treatment and was arraigned Thursday at bedside by a magistrate. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
It is believed that he worked at several hospitals in up to eight states