A new form of nephropathy is emerging in poor agricultural communities in developing countries. Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is not attributable to risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension and has particularly targeted young men who work in the fields in Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.

The New York Times and National Public Radio have covered CKDu in the past couple of weeks.

MEDICC Review has dedicated its April 2014 issue to this topic. Contributing authors from seven countries—including El Salvador’s Minister of Health and the president of the International Society of Nephrology—examine the global reach of CKDu and its epidemiological challenges, as well as the role of nontraditional risk factors and social determinants. All full-text articles are available free online, open access.