An epidemic outbreak of Mesoamerican Nephropathy in Nicaragua linked to nickel toxicity

(Baylor College of Medicine) For over 20 years, researchers have tried to solve the medical mystery behind Mesoamerican Nephropathy, a form of chronic kidney disease that has caused more than 50,000 deaths in coastal South America. Now, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital researchers present the strongest evidence to date on the cause of the disease in one of the worst-hit hotspots in the region, Nicaragua, using an unlikely source, the toenails of individuals with the disea...