Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and pancreas. This is when a person produces thick sticky mucus that blocks digestive juices to the gut. This mucus builds up in the organs causing infections and damage in the lungs and makes digesting food more difficult.

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease so in other for a person to have it they must first inherit two cystic fibrosis genes, one from the mother and the other from the father. Heterozygous people can not get cystic fibrosis but they can act as carries of the disease.

Sticky mucus can provide a good environment for bacteria growth. When this happen a person with cystic fibrosis can get chest infections. Cystic Fibrosis can also affect the reproductive system causing infertility in men and fertility problems in women.

People with cystic fibrosis cough a lot and they are always small for their age.

Cystic Fibrosis is a multi-system disease which affects many body organs. The pancreas of people with cystic fibrosis does not produce enzymes to digest fat; this makes it hard to gain weight.

To stay well people with cystic fibrosis spend time at least twice a day doing physiotherapy and breathing exercises in order to help clear the mucus from their lungs. They also need to take special enzymes to help digest their food.