Washington (AFP)
Lung biopsies of 17 people struck by US-related lung disease in the United States, including two deaths, reveal lesions similar to toxic gas exposure, according to a medical study released Wednesday.
"It seems to be a kind of direct chemical damage, similar to what you would see when exposed to toxic chemical fumes, gases, or toxic agents," says hospital doctor Brandon Larsen. Mayo Clinic Arizona, author of the study published in the medical journal New England Journal of Medicine.
The patients studied represent only a small sample of the more than 800 identified to date in the United States.
But none of these cases corresponded to one of the diagnoses initially mentioned, namely "lipid pneumonia", which occurs when oils penetrate the lungs. Vitamin E oil has been cited by New York State authorities as a possible cause of illness.
"From what we have seen in our study, we believe that most cases involve chemical contaminants, toxic derivatives or other harmful agents contained in vaping liquids," continues Brandon Larsen.
As of September 27, 12 deaths have been confirmed by federal authorities.
The health authorities have been investigating since last July to determine the cause of the diseases, which strike mostly young male users of electronic cigarettes.
Three-quarters of them ejaculated e-liquid with THC, the psychoactive agent of cannabis, often bought on the black market. Experts suspect that one or more additives cause diseases, which cause difficulty in breathing.
© 2019 AFP