NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Health is asking health care providers across
the state to report any cases of suspected serious respiratory illness they treat among patients
who use electronic cigarettes or other vaping devices. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention is investigating a cluster of severe pulmonary disease among people who use ecigarettes or vape, with more than 150 cases reported to date in 16 states.
‘’We are alerting Tennessee health care providers to be on the lookout for patients with severe
respiratory symptoms who report vaping in the weeks before they got sick,‘’ said TDH State
Epidemiologist Tim Jones, MD.
‘’We expect to find cases of this illness in Tennessee,‘’ Jones said. ‘’We’ll investigate any
cases reported here to look for common factors and collect information on specific
components or brands of vaping products that may be the source of the illness.‘’
Patients have had symptoms including cough, shortness of breath and fatigue, with symptoms
growing worse over a period of days or weeks before admission to the hospital. Other
symptoms may include fever, chest pain, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Most of the
cases are among adolescents and young adults.
TDH issued a public health advisory on the risks posed by vaping, juuling and use of other
electronic nicotine delivery products in December 2018 and continues to urge caution to
Tennesseans of all ages who use or are considering the use of electronic nicotine delivery
systems. Find updated information on federal regulation of these products at
www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices-perspectives-fda-leadership-and-experts/how-fdaregulating-e-cigarettes. For additional information on electronic cigarettes and their health
effects, visit www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/index.htm.
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