[Incidence study of endemic nephropathy among newcomers (immigrants) to endemic foci in Bulgaria].

The clinical-laboratory studies of 488 immigrants in 17 endemic settlements in Bulgaria are presented. The average age of the immigrants is 56 years and 31 years is the average duration of the sojourn in the endemic foci. From the total group of immigrants 30 per cent are "contact ímmigrants", i.e. immigrants that had lived together or are living at present with patients with endemic nephropathy or members of their families. The average duration of the sojourn of the contact immigrants in the endemic environment is the same as that of the whole group. Ten of the immigrants have come in their child-adolescent age into the endemic settlements. The average age of that group is 61 and the average duration of the sojourn in the endemic foci is 52 years. The following data are stressed upon: The total and renal morbidity of the immigrants in the endemic foci does not differ in structure from that of the country. No sufficient data are available about the existence of family domestic noxae or infections. No data indicating tumours in the urinary system were found in the immigrants examined. It is conculded that, at the stage of the examination, no definite data were established about the endemic nephropathy affection of the immigrants in the endemic foci which though indirectly support the genetic hypothesis of endemic nephropathy etiology. The dispensarization of the immigrants in the endemic foci favours the longitudinal examination which is the final aim of the authors.