Mystery Illness in Central America

The Daily Mail is reporting on a "mystery" illness causing kidney disease in various Central American countries. 

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.

However, this appears to be more an issue of belatedly recognizing conditions that have existed for a long time. In this instance, the problem appears to be a mixture of hard work combined with frequent severe dehydration because of not drinking enough fluids while working.