A mysterious kidney disease known as Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is increasingly affecting younger, non-diabetic, urban populations in Hyderabad and surrounding Telangana districts, according to a study led by nephrologists from Osmania General Hospital (OGH) and Apollo Hospitals. Published in the Indian Journal of Nephrology in August 2024, the study highlights that, unlike traditional CKDu cases linked to agricultural labor and heat stress, this urban cohort includes small business owners and service workers with no farming background. The disease progresses silently, often only detected when kidney damage is severe, requiring urgent dialysis or renal replacement therapy. Kidney biopsies revealed significant scarring and inflammation in the kidney filters, confirming early silent damage. Notably, 40% of patients had a history of consuming unregulated herbal medicines, a potential risk factor requiring closer investigation. Dr. Manisha Sahay, Head of Nephrology at OGH, stresses the urgent need for public health to focus on this urban CKDu subset to improve early diagnosis and preventive strategies. Reference: Ramavajula, Anitha and Sahay, Manisha and Ismal, Kiranmai and Kavadi, Anuradha and Enganti, Rama and Gowrishankar, Swarnalata; Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology in Telangana: Is It Different?; Indian Journal of Nephrology; doi = 10.25259/IJN_257_2024