Kansas health authorities say they have identified three patients so far who have been infected with a strain of hepatitis C that is closely related to the one found in patients in New Hampshire who are believed to have been infected by former radiologic technologist David Kwiatkowski.
Officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment say that the three patients were identified as among those who were treated in the cardiac cath lab at Hays Medical Center from May 24, 2010, to September 22, 2010. Kwiatkowski worked at the cath lab during that period, according to authorities.
Hays Medical Center began notifying patients on July 20 and advised them to be tested for hepatitis C. Some 474 patients were believed to have been treated at the cardiac cath lab during the period in question; of these, three have tested positive for the virus, while 334 have tested negative, state officials reported on August 20.
Kwiatkowski worked as a traveling technologist at cardiac cath labs around the U.S.; he was arrested on July 19 in Massachusetts on suspicion of stealing fentanyl syringes intended for patients and injecting himself with the sedative while working at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire. Health authorities in at least eight states where Kwiatkowski worked are investigating whether patients were exposed to hepatitis C.
