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Cystic
fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Because of a defective
gene, mucus-secreting glands within the lining of the lung’s airways (bronchi) produce unusually thick, sticky secretions.
This clogs the air passages, promotes bacterial growth, and leads to chronic obstruction, inflammation, and infection of the
airways. These thick secretions also obstruct the pancreas, keeping digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to
help break down and absorb food.
In many cases, this disorder is apparent soon after birth, but 10% of the people with
cystic fibrosis do not receive a diagnosis until age 18 or older. There is variation in the severity of symptoms, which may
include salty-tasting skin, cough, shortness of breath, excessive appetite but poor weight gain, and greasy, bulky stools.
According
to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, more than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective cystic fibrosis
gene. An individual must inherit two defective genes, one from each parent, to have cystic fibrosis.
Credit to www.rarediseases.org
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