California: Vaping-associated pulmonary disease cases rise to 36

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is reporting 36 cases of vaping-associated pulmonary injury requiring hospitalization since June.

photo/ Sarah Johnson

Most patients report vaping the cannabis compounds THC and/or CBD, and some patients also report vaping nicotine products, although the exact cause of illness is not yet known.

Patients typically present to the hospital with cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. In many cases, the initial diagnosis was presumed to be infectious, but no evidence of infection or other process to explain the pulmonary disease was found.

All cases in California have been hospitalized, with most requiring respiratory support with supplemental oxygen, high-flow oxygen, or bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP). At least ten patients had respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. No deaths have been reported to date in California.

Physicians in California and at least 23 other states have documented over 200 cases of acute pulmonary disease associated with vaping over the past three months.