Mystery disease kills thousands in Central America

[lovuian]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_CENTRAL_AMERICA_MYSTERY_DISEASE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-02-12-00-00-37

A mysterious epidemic is devastating the Pacific coast of Central America, killing more than 24,000 people in El Salvador and Nicaragua since 2000 and striking thousands of others with chronic kidney disease at rates unseen virtually anywhere else. Scientists say they have received reports of the phenomenon as far north as southern Mexico and as far south as Panama.

Last year it reached the point where El Salvador's health minister, Dr. Maria Isabel Rodriguez, appealed for international help, saying the epidemic was undermining health systems.

Wilfredo Ordonez, who has harvested corn, sesame and rice for more than 30 years in the Bajo Lempa region of El Salvador, was hit by the chronic disease when he was 38. Ten years later, he depends on dialysis treatments he administers to himself four times a day


This is so sad that employers can not give their workers enough water and rest time
Call them the Killing Fields

[bluerum]

1. Agricultural region with heavy pesticide use?

Would not surprise me.

On edit: The chronic dehydration theory does not explain why this is happening now. One has to think that agriculture work in the hot sun has been a lifestyle in this part of the world for centuries.

[lovuian]

2. it makes you wonder doesn't it

the one man was 38 which means if he was harvesting for thirty years it means he started when he was eight years old

think of the damage on children

[Avalux]

3. Chronic dehydration for years and years....

I tend to agree this is the probably cause; chronic pesticide exposure would affect more than the kidneys.

These 'workers' are more like slaves; starting in the fields as children, working in the heat for long hours without sufficient water consumption. After years of dehydration, the kidneys simply quit working.