Kidney disease in Nicaragua linked to adolescents and young women, and those without occupational heat exposure

Chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) is an ongoing global health concern and public health challenge. Often described as a silent health threat, it can progress without the classic metabolic symptoms of kidney disease, such as obesity and diabetes.

It is typically not diagnosed until it reaches an advanced stage and is often fatal. Although the disease's progression remains poorly understood, CKDu has primarily affected young men doing heat-intensive manual labor in equatorial agricultural communities.