A Mysterious Kidney Disease Has Arrived in Texas

Young, otherwise healthy men born in Mexico or Central America are presenting at Houston safety-net hospitals with end-stage kidney failure requiring thrice-weekly dialysis. Their condition mirrors chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) that has affected sugarcane workers in El Salvador and other Central-American regions. Physicians believe the Texas cases may be the first U.S. occurrence of CKDu, likely associated with intense physical labor in extreme heat, and are initiating local research to identify the cause and prevent additional cases.