CONCORD, N.H. -
David Matthew Kwiatkowski is accused of infecting at least 30 individuals with hepatitis C at Exeter Hospital, the United States Attorney's office in Concord, N.H., announced Thursday.
Kwiatkowski is a former employee at Exeter Hospital, who has hepatitis C. He began working at the hospital in April 2011 as a temporary employee and was previously known as a traveling technician.
In October 2011, Kwiatkowski began a regular full-time position as a cardiovascular technician in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. He worked there until May 2012 when he was placed on leave as the investigation into the hepatitis C outbreak began. Kwiatkowski was later terminated.
Kwiatkowski is accused of stealing the anesthetic fentanyl. Officials say he injected himself with fentanyl replaced with saline solution and injected patients.
Investigators say in a separate case, Kwiatkowski allegedly stole the same drug from another hospital.
Earlier this month, New Hampshire health officials confirmed six more cases of hepatitis C as they continued to investigate an outbreak linked to Exeter Hospital's cardiac catheterization lab.
Twenty-seven people tested positive for the same strain of the blood-borne viral infection, which can cause liver disease and chronic health issues. State officials suspect a worker's misuse of drugs led to the outbreak.
Anyone who was treated at the lab since October 2010 has been asked to get tested, either at the hospital or at alternate sites in Hampton and Portsmouth.
