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Thousands of sugar cane workers die as wealthy nations stall on solutions

By Sasha Chavkin and Ronnie Greene

Mysterious kidney disease has killed thousands of men in an isolated region of Central America, but why?

Excerpts from this story referencing "chronic kidney disease":

"… plight of those who harvest it. Little noticed by the rest of the world, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is cutting a swath through one of the world’s poorest populations, …"

"… Deadly enigma and a handful of researchers In the U.S., leading causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and hypertension. But the ailment — leading to a progressiv …"

"… would one day be internationally recognized. “It is important that the chronic kidney disease afflicting thousands of rural workers in Central America be recognized as …"

"… ed men coming into his hospital in El Salvador, all with advanced cases of chronic kidney disease. “For some reason, to the rest of the world this seemed normal,” he re …"

Methodology

A note of the data and analysis for 'Island of the Widows'

Excerpts from this story referencing "chronic kidney disease":

"… of the epidemic’s death toll in the region. …"

As kidney disease kills thousands across continents, scientists scramble for answers

By Sasha Chavkin

How a rare kidney disease is killing laborers and vexing researchers in three countries.

Excerpts from this story referencing "chronic kidney disease":

"… tery: their kidneys are failing, and no one knows why.A mysterious form of chronic kidney disease — CKD — is afflicting thousands of people in rural, agricultural commu …"

"… ization data. In Sri Lanka, the WHO says at least 8,000 people suffer from chronic kidney disease of unknown cause, though other sources put the number more than double tha …"

"… tronomical 9.45 mg/dL — more than seven times higher than normal. He had chronic kidney disease, advanced into its late stages.Rajaratna’s illness is part of an epidemi …"

"… ministry and WHO.The government has even come up with a name for it: CKDu, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology.Since 2009, the health ministry and WHO have embarked …"

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New urgency targets mysterious kidney disease in Central America

By Sasha Chavkin

In El Salvador, health ministries formally recognize a kidney disease killing laborers — and vow deeper scrutiny of its causes.

Excerpts from this story referencing "chronic kidney disease":

"… two years, the Center for Public Integrity has examined how a rare type of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is killing thousands of agricultural workers along Central America …"

"… esearch of the disease, created a multidisciplinary internal task force on chronic kidney disease in Central America, and pledged to help fund a national survey by El Salva …"

"… ide, including in countless areas not affected by this distinctive form of chronic kidney disease. The El Salvador sample of CKD patients from Ciudad Romero — the commun …"