Rash of mystery lung illnesses linked to e-cigarette use in the US
- Officials are warning clinicians and the public to be on alert for what they describe as a severe and potentially dangerous lung injury
- Symptoms include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or chest pain, as well as fever, coughing, vomiting and diarrhoea
At least 31 cases had been confirmed as of Friday, state officials said, and dozens more are under investigation. Medical authorities say it is unclear whether patients will fully recover.
Officials are warning clinicians and the public to be on alert for what they describe as a severe and potentially dangerous lung injury. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or chest pain before hospitalisation. Health officials said patients have also reported fever, coughing, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that officials are working with health departments in at least five states with confirmed cases – California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin – to determine the cause of the condition after “a cluster of pulmonary illnesses linked to e-cigarette use” was reported among adolescents and young adults in recent weeks. In a call on Friday with state health authorities, CDC officials said they were investigating 94 possible cases in 14 states.
To date, there is no consistent evidence that an infectious disease is the culprit, CDC spokeswoman Kathy Harben said. While some of the cases appear similar, officials said they do not know whether the illnesses are associated with the e-cigarette devices themselves, or with specific ingredients or contaminants inhaled through them. Health officials have said patients have described vaping a variety of substances, including nicotine, marijuana-based products and do-it-yourself “home brews”.