Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) is one of the major health care problems in Sri Lanka. This community-based case-control study was conducted to identify potential causes of CKDu. The study also designed to identify suspected CKDu causative based on social-cultural factors and water quality parameters among the patients who sort treatment from the General Hospital (GH), Vavuniya Nephrology Clinic. The case group consisted of 106 patients who have CKDu and sort treatment from the nephrology clinic at GH Vavuniya. The control group consisted of 100 people who willingly participated and lived in the vicinity of the patient houses, and had not reported kidney disease (confirmed by screening program of CKD unit). The water samples were collected from their drinking water source which was used for more than five years before having diagnosed with CKDu. The data was analysed using chi-square with cross-tabulation. On the comparison between the CKDu group and the control group, a significant correlation was observed for smoking “Beedi”, engaging in farming, low level of education, and exposure to weedicides. In the analysis of water quality parameters, colour and  electrical conductivity were elevated. However there was no single water quality parameter that could clearly and directly be related to the aetiology of CKDu, however, it was found that the colour, and electrical conductivity of water samples were higher than that of WHO recommendations.

Keywords
CKDu , Water quality parameters , Social and cultural habits , Weedicide.