Mysterious Kidney Disease in Farming Communities

Researchers are working to understand cases of unexplained kidney failure that have been reported over the past decade in Central America, rural areas of Sri Lanka, coastal regional of eastern India, and along the Danube River in the Balkans. Those most commonly affected are men who are agricultural, farm, or sugarcane workers. Other common factors are poverty, hot and humid environments, insufficient access to health care, and suboptimum water quality and sanitation. Potential causes include exposure to environmental toxins, use of indigenous herbs, use of over-the-counter pain killers, and chronic dehydration, according to a Lancet news article.