What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is a disease passed down through families that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body. It is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults. It is a life-threatening disorder.

Causes and risk factors

Cystic fibrosis is caused by a defective gene which causes the body to produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas, the organ that helps to break down and absorb food.
This collection of sticky mucus results in life-threatening lung infections and serious digestion problems. The disease may also affect the sweat glands and a man's reproductive system.
Millions of Americans carry the defective CF gene, but do not have any symptoms. That's because a person with CF must inherit two defective CF genes -- one from each parent. An estimated 1 in 29 Caucasian Americans have the CF gene. The disease is the most common, deadly, inherited disorder affecting Caucasians in the United States. It's more common among those of Northern or Central European descent.
Most children with CF are diagnosed by age 2. A small number, however, are not diagnosed until age 18 or older. These patients usually have a milder form of the disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms in newborns may include:
  • Failure to gain weight normally during childhood
  • No bowel movements in first 24 to 48 hours of life
  • Salty-tasting skin
  • Delayed growth
Symptoms related to bowel function may include:
  • Belly pain from severe constipation
  • Increased gas, bloating, or a belly that appears swollen (distended)
  • Nausea and loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
Symptoms related to the lungs and sinuses may include:
  • Coughing or increased mucus in the sinuses or lungs
  • Fatigue
  • Nasal congestion caused by nasal polyps
  • Recurrent episodes of pneumonia. Symptoms in someone with cystic fibrosis include:
    • Fever
    • Increased coughing
    • Increased shortness of breath
    • Loss of appetite
    • More sputum
  • Sinus pain or pressure caused by infection or polyps
Symptoms that may be noticed later in life:
  • Infertility (in men)
  • Repeated inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
  • Respiratory symptoms
Got From http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001167/
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