Outbreak Of Vaping-Related Diseases In PA Under Investigation

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Health officials this week issued a warning against vaping, as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched an investigation into a multi-state outbreak of severe lung diseases related to e-cigarette products.

Pennsylvania has 17 suspected cases and nearly 30 additional cases that are being investigated, state health official said. "Each of these cases have suffered serious lung injuries and have been hospitalized," Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement.

No cases have been associated with medical marijuana bought at a Pennsylvania dispensary, state health officials confirmed.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health said it is working with the Poison Control Centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration as part of the widespread investigation.

As the CDC conducts its investigation, it urges against using e-cigarette products.

Nationwide, 380 cases of lung illnesses reported to the CDC in early September are suspected of being related to e-cigarettes. The cases were reported in 33 different states and 1 U.S. territory.

The investigation has not identified any one substance or e-cigarette product that is directly linked to all cases, and there is also no evidence the diseases are infectious, which means the illnesses are most likely associated with chemical exposure, according to the CDC.

The health protection agency provides recommendations for the public to best avoid any e-cigarette related disease.

• Consider not using the products while the investigation is ongoing.
• Youth and young adults should not use e-cigarette products.
• Women who are pregnant should not use e-cigarette products.
• Adults who do not currently use tobacco products should not start using e-cigarette products.
• If you do use e-cigarette products, you should not buy these products off the street.

Here are symptoms being investigated:

• Patients in this investigation have reported symptoms such as:
  • cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
  • nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • fatigue, fever, or weight loss
• Some patients have reported that their symptoms developed over a few days, while others have reported that their symptoms developed over several weeks. A pulmonary infection does not appear to be causing the symptoms, which have generally not improved with antibiotic treatment alone.

Here is the full list of the 33 states with possible reported cases of e-cigarette related issues.

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Montana
• North Carolina
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Vermont
• Wisconsin
• West Virginia