© 2024 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Medical technician may have infected Michigan patients with Hepatitis C

photo from David Kwaitkowski's Facebook page

Michigan health officials say a hospital worker who allegedly spread Hepatitis-C to patients at a hospital in New Hampshire also worked at several facilities in Michigan.

They suggest former patients at those Michigan hospitals may want to get tested for Hepatitis-C.

David Kwiatkowski was a traveling medical technician.   This month he was charged with infecting 31 people in New Hampshire with Hepatitis C.

Kwiatkowski would allegedly inject himself with pain killers and then use the tainted syringes to inject patients with saline.

Police are investigating the possibility that he did the same thing in thirteen other states where he worked, including Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says Kwiatkowski worked at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Sinai Grace Hospital in Detroit, Harper University Hospital in Detroit and Oakwood Annapolis Hospital in Wayne, between 2005 and 2007.

“Our immediate concern right now is notifying patients that may have been exposed to a risk,” says Angela Minicuci, a health department spokesman.

Minicuci says it’s unclear when Kwiatkowski was infected with Hepatitis C himself or when he may have started using tainted needles on his patients.   She adds if a patient does test positive for Hepatitis C  they may not have contracted it from Kwiatkowski. 

The health department is urging patients to contact the hospitals to see if they may have come into contact with Kwiatkowski and should be tested for Hepatitis C.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
Related Content