Introduction:

Chronic kidney disease mainly affecting male farmers and not associated to traditional causes has been present in Central America for twenty years. The condition is characterized by the presence of chronic interstitial nephritis, but its ultrastructural features are not fully known. Factors suggested as responsible for its occurrence include the use of agrochemicals and other nephrotoxic agents, chronic dehydration and medicine consumption.

Objective:

Describe the ultrastructural characteristics of chronic interstitial nephritis in farming communities.

Method:

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted of renal biopsy samples from eight patients diagnosed with chronic interstitial nephritis in farming communities.

Results:

Of the eight patients studied, two (25%) were farm workers and five (62.5%) were female. Two of the patients (25%) had stage 2 and six (75%) stage 3 chronic kidney disease. In five patients evidence was found of phagolysosomes with lipid component mixed with electrodense material in distal tubule cells. An equal number of patients had myeloid bodies with laminated areas and central nucleus in proximal tubule and blood vessel cells.

Conclusions:

Evidence of phagolysosomes and myeloid structures of unknown content and origin was found in renal tubules and vessels of patients from farming communities diagnosed with chronic interstitial nephritis.

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