Mysterious kidney disease strikes healthy young men in Texas
Doctors in Texas are seeing a rise in chronic kidney disease of unknown origin among otherwise healthy young men, a condition previously documented only abroad.
A growing number of healthy young men in Texas are being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu), a condition previously observed mainly in Central America, Sri Lanka, India and Nepal. The disease, also called Mesoamerican Nephropathy, leads to progressive kidney failure without the usual risk factors like hypertension or diabetes. Most affected individuals are Latino men between 20 and 60 who work in extreme heat, often in agricultural settings.
Physicians at Houston’s Ben Taub Hospital, including internist Ricardo Nuila and nephrologist Sreedhar Mandayam, report seeing such cases nearly every day, with many patients being undocumented migrants from Central America or Mexico. Epidemiologist Rebecca Fischer’s research indicates that a significant share of emergency-dialysis admissions fit the CKDu profile, suggesting thousands of potential cases each year. The lack of routine screening and limited healthcare access in these communities raises concerns about an emerging, under-recognized health crisis.
Why it matters
The disease could affect thousands of laborers and strain healthcare resources if not identified early.
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