ENDEMIC NEPHROPATHY IN CROATIA

Endemic nephropathy is a chronic renal disease with a high prevalence in a geographically limited area of Croatia. It has also been recorded in some parts of Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. Despite numero us studies conducted to date, the etiology of this disease has not bee n clarified. Pathological studies of the kidney in the early stage of endemic nephropathy have shown renal tubules to be the primary sites o f the pathologic process with an interstitial tissue reaction, whereas glomerular alterations are of a secondary character. Tubulointerstiti al lesions can thus account for the symptoms of the disease, i.e. tubu lar proteinuria and reduced urine concentration capacity and urine aci dification. Also, an increased incidence of malignant tumours of the u rinary tract was found in the same geographic area.