[Incidence of Balkan endemic nephropathy in married couples]

The causes for the affection of married couples by BEN were sought in the conditions of "cohabitation", though neither domestic factors nor infections were proved that led to diseases of both husband and wife. By the genealogical method it was elucidated that when both spouses suffer BEN, they both were hereditary tainted--they came from families with endemic nephropathy. It was concluded that not "cohabitation" but most likely the hereditary taint was the cause for BENB of the married couples.