Nitrate content of well water and the endemic Balkan nephropathy

ABSTRACT

A hypothesis on the role of a high nitrate content in drinking water as a cause of Balkan nephropathy was tested by a follow-up study of 366 inhabitants of an endemic village. During a 12-year period [1974-1985], 28 of them were classified as Balkan nephropathy cases. These consumed water from 24 out of 85 wells used by the cohort members. Comparison of "affected" and "healthy" wells did not reveal any difference regarding the nitriate content of water