Acute and Chronic Disease Reports
Open Access

Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The body produces thick and sticky mucus that can clog the lungs and obstruct the pancreas.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) can be life-threatening, and people with the condition tend to have a shorter-than-normal life span.

Sixty years ago, many children with CF died before reaching elementary school age. However, advances in treatment mean that people with CF often live into their 30s, 40s, and beyond.

There is currently no cure for CF. It affects some 30,000 people in the United States with around 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Of these new diagnoses, 75 percent are made in children under the age of 2 years.

CF is a genetic disease that mainly affects the lungs and digestive system, but it can result in fatal complications such as liver disease and diabetes.

The defective gene responsible for CF leads to the creation of thicker, stickier mucus than is usual. This mucus is difficult to cough out of the lungs. This can make breathing difficult and lead to severe lung infections.

The mucus also interferes with pancreatic function by preventing enzymes from properly breaking down food. Digestive problems result, potentially leading to malnutrition.

This thickening of mucus can also cause male infertility by blocking the vas deferens, or the tube that carries the sperm from the testes to the urethra.

CF is serious, with potentially life-threatening consequences. The most common cause of death in people with CF is respiratory failure.