U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire John P. Kacavas has asked for more time to investigate the alleged drug-addicted traveling medical technician accused of infecting Exeter Hospital patients with hepatitis C, saying the complex and unusual nature of the case requires it.

“This is a very unique case,” Kacavas wrote in his motion filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Concord.

The government is investigating David Kwiatkowski's alleged illegal activities in New Hampshire and at least six other states where he previously worked.

Kacavas said it needs more time to obtain evidence from institutions in the various states, complete additional scientific analysis and interview more witnesses in New Hampshire and elsewhere, he said. The defense assented to the request to extend the show cause hearing from Oct. 9 to Nov. 30.

The federal court in Concord already granted the government an extension to seek an indictment and rescheduled its initial show cause hearing from Aug. 24 to Oct. 9.

Kwiatkowski, 33, faces federal charges for allegedly injecting himself with syringes filled with the painkiller Fentanyl that were intended for patients, refilling them with saline or other substances, then placing them back on the tray to be used on patients at the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Kwiatkowski was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2010. He is accused of infecting at least 32 former Exeter Hospital patients with the same strain of the blood-borne virus for which he tested positive when he worked at the hospital between April 2011 and May 2012.

Kwiatkowski also worked in at least six other states as a traveling medical technician, including Michigan, Kansas, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Arizona, according to a federal affidavit, officials from those state and attorneys representing clients who claimed they were infected by Kwiatkowski.

Three patients from a Kansas hospital where Kwiatkowski worked in 2010 also tested positive for a strain of hepatitis C “closely related” to the cluster in Exeter, Kansas officials have said.

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Kathryn Marchocki may be reached at kmarchocki@unionleader.com.