Epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease in Agricultural Communities in Central America. Case definitions, methodological basis and approaches for public health surveillance

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Resolution on Chronic Kidney Disease in Agricultural Communities in Central America has recommended a set of priorities to address this epidemic; this document specifically addresses the request for a framework for systematic surveillance of CKD and CKDnT to be developed in the region, particularly for affected countries. This document presents a surveillance framework which includes:

(a) passive surveillance, with the main components based on mortality registries and on a population registry of dialysis or end-stage kidney disease;
(b) active surveillance that could be based mainly on sentinel surveillance in communities and in selected occupations; and
(c) population-based surveillance, through repeated cross-sectional surveys such as the WHO STEPS, which is a stepwise approach to surveillance for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).