CDC, FDA, States Continue to Investigate Severe Pulmonary Disease Among People Who Use E-cigarettes

 

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

 

CDC is providing consultation to state health departments about a cluster of pulmonary illnesses

possibly related to e-cigarette product use,

or “vaping,” primarily among adolescents and young adults.

 

Many states have alerted CDC to possible (not confirmed) cases and investigations into these cases are ongoing. 

 

In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with CDC and state health officials

to gather information on any products or substances used and providing technical and laboratory assistance.

FDA encourages the public to submit detailed reports of any unexpected tobacco- or e-cigarette-related health

or product issues to the FDA via the online Safety Reporting Portalexternal icon.‎

 

While some cases in each of the states are similar and appear to be linked to e-cigarette product use,

more information is needed to determine what is causing the illnesses.

 

Latest Information

More than 149 possible cases of severe lung illness associated with e-cigarette product use

were reported by 15 states (CA, CT, IL, IN, IA, MN, MI, NC, NJ, NM, NY, PA, TX, UT, and WI)

from June 28, 2019, to August 20, 2019.

No deaths have been reported.

 

CDC and states have not identified a cause, but all reported cases have e-cigarette product use or “vaping.”

Available evidence does not suggest that an infectious disease is the principal cause of the illness.

Investigators have not identified any specific product or compound that is linked to all cases.

 

In many cases, patients reported a gradual start of symptoms including

breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain before hospitalization.

Some cases reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea and fatigue as well.

 

In many cases, patients have acknowledged recent use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products

while speaking to healthcare personnel or in follow-up interviews by health department staff;

however, no specific product has been identified in all cases, nor has any product been conclusively linked to illnesses.

 

Even though cases appear similar, it is not clear if these cases have a common cause

or if they are different diseases with similar presentations.

The State Departments of Health are investigating the possible cause of the illness

by testing patient specimens and e-cigarette products.

State-specific epidemiologic investigations are ongoing.

 

The Wisconsin and Illinois departments of health have asked CDC for assistance 

investigating the illnesses in their states.

The investigation is ongoing and more information will be shared as it is available.

 

CDC notified U.S. healthcare systems and clinicians about the illnesses and what to watch for

via a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Clinical Action Message.

For information about a specific state, contact that state’s health department.

 

For information on electronic cigarettes visit: www.cdc.gov/e-cigarettes

CDC flags one death and nearly 200 cases of lung illnesses in U.S, possibly tied to vaping

 

here is the whole article from Reuters

Putting anything but fresh air into your lungs on a regular basis is just plain bad at the very least for your lungs, let alone other organs.

ADVERTISEMENT Teenager left in coma after developing lung disease from vaping Jane WhartonSaturday 31 Aug 2019 8:04 am Share this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messenger 5k SHARES Maddie Nelson was left in a coma after three years of vaping (Picture: GoFundMe/Facebook) A teenager suffered catastrophic lung damage after vaping every day for three years. Maddie Nelson, 18, started to feel ill earlier this year but last month experienced severe back and kidney pain. The student, from Utah, USA, was rushed to hospital struggling to breathe but the oxygen that medics gave her did not work. Her sister Andrea said ‘the situation went from serious to potentially fatal’ and an X-ray showed ‘severe damage to her lungs.’ The decision was made to put her into a medically-induced coma while she battled for life. Maddie was left unable to breathe on her own after developing lung disease from vaping (Picture: Gofundme) Andrea added: ‘On August 1, she officially received her diagnosis after two bronchoscopies. Test results showed she has been enduring acute eosinophilic pneumonia. ‘Her doctor suspects it’s from electronic vaping sources, this includes all supposedly “safe” alternatives to smoking such as e-cigarettes.’ Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare disease caused by a build-up of white blood cells in the lungs in response to inflammation. Maddie was given steroids and was brought out of the coma after three days. She is now breathing on her own but still needs oxygen at night for the tightness in her chest. Maddie shared photos of herself in the hospital as she urged people to quit vaping: ‘I am sharing my story so you all are aware that there is something crazy in these pens that is not safe and almost cost me my life. ‘I used to just tell myself it won’t happen to me, but it can and will happen to you too…take my advice, don’t smoke, don’t vape. #vape #stopthevape.’ Maddie, 18, said she vaped for three years (Picture: Facebook) Last week it emerged that the first person had died from vaping, which is being promoted as a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes. The medical community has urged caution, saying electronic cigarettes have only been around for a decade and it is too early to promote them as ‘safe.’ Maddie’s sister Andrea said that young people are ‘the guinea pigs of the popularising of “vape life” and after only a few years, we are seeing some pretty scary side effects.’ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that in the US nearly 200 people have contracted severe respiratory illnesses after vaping. All of those affected have been teenagers or adults who had used an electronic cigarette or some other kind of vaping device.

 

More evidence ....