Several hospitals in the US state of Texas are experiencing cases of a mysterious kidney disease known as the "silent killer," which specifically targets young, healthy men in their twenties and thirties.
This disease, known as "chronic kidney disease of unknown cause" (CKDu), is diagnosed when a patient suffers kidney failure in which the kidneys stop filtering the blood properly - which can be fatal - despite the absence of other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
This disease was first discovered in the 1990s in Central and South America, where it was known as mesoamerican nephropathy, and has also been observed in India and South Asia. However, it has historically been rare in the United States. Now, doctors at several hospitals in Texas are reporting cases.
Doctors in Houston say they have recorded a number of cases, almost all in healthy men in their twenties and thirties. Many of the patients were laborers who collapsed while working, whether painting a wall or paving a road.
This disease remains a mystery because doctors are unsure of its cause, although they know it is not contagious. The leading hypothesis among researchers is that it results from prolonged exposure to extreme heat, such as when working outdoors. Dr. Marvin Gonzalez Queiroz, an occupational health expert at the University of Texas, said, "The most likely hypothesis is that repeated episodes of heat stress combined with dehydration in workers performing strenuous physical labor in a hot environment may lead to repeated acute kidney injury, which gradually accumulates and results in chronic idiopathic kidney disease."
Doctors in Houston revealed that they have been recording cases of this disease for about a decade, and that many of the patients were undocumented immigrants who came from Central or South America.
This disease is called the "silent killer" because it shows no warning signs until the later stages, when the kidneys may have already suffered irreversible damage, putting the person's life at risk. Warning signs of kidney damage include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, and sleep problems.
Doctors can treat the condition with blood pressure medication and alleviate symptoms with dialysis. In severe cases, a kidney transplant may be necessary to save the patient. For prevention, doctors recommend drinking plenty of water while working outdoors; the National Academy of Medicine recommends that men drink 3.7 liters of water daily and women 2.7 liters.
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