Beginning in 2000, a terrible epidemic began sweeping the Pacific coast of Central America, particularly Honduras and El Salvador. Thousands of men working on sugarcane plantations suddenly began dropping dead of kidney failure.

Two competing theories explain the deaths. Some believe that the men were poisoned by years of exposure to herbicides and other agricultural chemicals, such as Monsanto’s Roundup. A competing hypothesis simply says the grueling nature of long-term plantation work (and lack of proper hydration) destroys the kidneys. Still others point separate environmental factors.

Those afflicted are almost always extremely poor and cannot afford medications and proper dialysis. They often rely on crude home dialysis to filter their blood, with usually fatal results.