Health
Unexplained kidney failure cases reported in Texas, according to report
Fox News reports that a mysterious kidney illness known as CKDu has emerged among healthy adults in Texas.
The short version
- A condition known as chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology appears to have surfaced in Texas, according to reports.[Fox News]
- Doctors at Houston safety-net hospitals have treated otherwise healthy men in their 20s and 30s experiencing kidney failure.[Fox News]
- A county hospital review found that about one in six emergency dialysis cases among uninsured or undocumented patients lacked an identifiable cause.[Fox News]
- The definitive cause remains unknown, though expert Dr. Richard J. Johnson views heat stress as a leading suspected driver.[Fox News]
Key facts
- A mysterious form of kidney disease known as chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology or Mesoamerican nephropathy appears to have emerged in Texas.[Fox News]
- Physicians at Houston safety-net hospitals have treated otherwise healthy men in their 20s and 30s who developed kidney failure.[Fox News]
- A review of Harris County hospital records cited by Texas Monthly revealed that roughly one in six emergency dialysis cases among uninsured or undocumented patients had no identifiable cause.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The exact cause of the condition remains unconfirmed, although Dr. Richard J. Johnson considers heat stress a leading suspect.[Fox News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.