Mystery Disease Killing Thousands in Central America

Earlier this month, the Associated Press broke a story that’s getting surprisingly little attention – over the last 10 years, more than 24,000 people have died of kidney failure along the pacific coast of Central America, primarily in Nicaragua and El Salvador. The disease has been seen in smaller numbers as far north as Mexico, and as far south as Panama. In parts of Nicaragua, as many as 1 in 4 men are suffering from chronic kidney disease.

These rates are far higher than anywhere else in the world. And there is a trend among the victims – they overwhelmingly work in some form of manual labor. It’s not completely clear what’s causing the epidemic – some believe it’s tied to the heavy use of pesticides and other toxic agricultural chemicals. However, that doesn’t explain why those working in other industries, such as construction or mining, are also suffering from the disease.

Some doctors and scientists have hypothesized that the long, hard hours of work, combined with chronic dehydration and heat stress, may be triggering chronic kidney disease in people who have none of the typical risk factors (including diabetes and high blood pressure). The connection hasn’t yet been proven, but it seems to be the most plausible explanation at present.

There have been reports of similar problems experienced by workers in Egypt, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, and other harsh, hot climates around the world, but not in numbers nearly as high as those in Latin America. Experts suggest this may be because this form of chronic kidney failure has been largely unrecognized in the past – it’s possible that kidney problems are going undiagnosed in these regions.

While some companies have taken precautions to try to ensure workers have access to water throughout the day, activists say that worker protections tend to be lax, and that there are many people with kidney damage who are forced to continue working due to a lack of alternative job opportunities.

What’s most troubling is that these new findings regarding dehydration and heat stress aren’t being well-publicized among farmers and other manual laborers in Central America. Many of them still believe the increasingly disfavored hypothesis that it’s caused by toxins in pesticides – and so they aren’t taking steps to ensure that they’re remaining well-hydrated.

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Photo credit: The Library of Congress

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Renee S.

5:02AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

The common sense answer to the so-called "mystery" would be Monsanto/DOW or any other number of chemical companies that are killing people, livestock, wildlife, poisoning our water sources and our land. If anyone still believes that Corporations are "people".....then these "people" need to be tried for murder. Now with their GE AND GMO foods they will finish us all off. It will be a slow death, but they are killing us none-the-less. Eat organic, grow your own, get your own chickens. I never thought I'd see the day when I began to talk or act like a "survivalist", but I AM a realist. It's the scariest thing I've ever learned about. Everyone not already educated in the attack on the World's produce by Monsanto, needs to start learning today. The first thing I would do is to watch this video clip and see WHY Fox News went to court to win the right to LIE to the public. Try covering up for Monsanto! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDNyIhWXsJ0&feature=share

send a green star

Vicki P.

4:11AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

Thank-you for the article... concerns of both adequate clean water and avoidance of pestisides are issues we should be taking seriously for everyone everywhere. ♥

Kathy M.

4:01AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

Its sounds like they know what causes it but like all countries they are dragging their feet to correct the problem. So the poor workers suffer. While someone else cashes in on all the profits.If they have labors put in place there the companies will just pick up and move to other countries,like they have in the U.S..

Brian M.

11:13AM PST on Feb 29, 2012

As climate change accelerates, disease pandemics will become more common.

Anne G.

7:46AM PST on Feb 29, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Debbie L.

7:06AM PST on Feb 29, 2012

I think it's a combination of many things, but of course the poor conditions they work in play a big role.

Carol K.

11:58AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

P.S. Glysophate is said to, pos., be responsible for Parkinsons.

11:54AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

As I see it, herbecides such as Roundup are the worse killers, any herbiside that contains glysophate is dangerous and can kill animals and humans. Herbisides with glysophate are used to kill all small to med. plants including bushes and srubs, it is the only herbicide that kills giant hogweed which is very difficult to kill. I believe it has been killing many animals and birds in the U.K. - even pos. dogs that eat the grass. Will be collecting sick animals from the fields now spraying has started in U.K.!

Anyone else rescue sick animals from arable land in UK. Would like to compare symptoms and treatment. UK arable farmers have much to answer for!

Roger M.

6:32AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

Thanks for posting this. But how come this is the first I've heard about it?

KS G.

4:09AM PST on Feb 28, 2012