Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a genetically inherited disease that affects the entire body. The prognosis of most people who have cystic fibrosis is progressive mental and physical disability, and an early death.

Some symptoms of cystic fibrosis are Dependant upon the age of the person in question, how much the disease is affecting specific organs, whether or not they have had therapy, and the types of infections that are incurred. Some symptoms are difficulty of breathing, frequent lung infections, sinus problems, poor growth mentally and physically, diarrhea, and sometimes infertility.

The cystic fibrosis gene, found on chromosome 7, is 180,000 base pairs long. The gene creates a protein made of 1,480 amino acids that does not form normally and is degraded by the cell. Another mutation is that the proteins that are being produced are stopped short making the proteins shorter that they are intended to be. Less common mutations make proteins that do not use energy normally, do not allow chloride to cross the membrane in the right way, or are degraded faster than they normally would be.

There are quite a few ways of treatment for cystic fibrosis. The most common of these is to make sure that the lungs do not get too covered in mucus. There are mechanical devices and inhalation medications that are used to alter and clear the mucus thickened on the lungs.

However, due to the nature of this disease, many other illnesses may set in. These are treated by intravenous (shots), inhaled, and oral antibiotics. More treatments may include insulin for diabetes, enzyme replacements for pancreatic disease and advanced reproductive techniques for the treatment of infertility.

Most of the people who have cystic fibrosis are not going to be very strong in the immune system. That is why people with the disease need many different antibiotics. They need the antibiotics to fend off the harmful viruses and bacteria that their body cannot handle. The majority of cystic fibrosis patients usually grow to about the age of ten. However, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation reports that 91 % of American adults who had cystic fibrosis, graduated High School, and 54% had some college education. While most of the people who inherit cystic fibrosis die, some can lead almost normal lives.