August 13, 2012

Tech Tied to NH Hep C Outbreak Worked in 7 Other States; CDC Expands Testing

A call for testing among people who received care at Exeter County Hospital in New Hampshire has been expanded to seven other states where the suspected source of a hepatitis C outbreak is known to have worked, according to the American Medical Association’s amednews. David Kwiatkowski, the former technician living with hepatitis C virus (HCV), was arrested July 19 for stealing anesthetic drugs and reloading the contaminated syringes with saline that were later used on patients. Thirty Exeter patients have tested positive for HCV with genetic traits similar to those of Kwiatkowski’s infection. Prior to being employed at Exeter, Kwiatkowski worked at hospitals in Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania, where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now working with public health officials to identify former patients who should be screened for HCV infection.

To read the amednews article, click here.

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Frederick Wright, Coachella Valley, 2012-08-13 12:48:22
This is most disturbing and very sad to hear for HepC is becoming a big problem that many city will not adress in social media. For instance in Palm Springs it was brought to the attention to my community leader that Meth and HEPC are combining their effort to cause an epidemic hear in the valley of HEPC. It is very bad and be warn young, old and inbetween gay me and active sexual straight people that in plam spring/the valle 2000 HepC case in a small town and lots of meth. Beware and cover up