Cystic Fibrosis
WHAT IS CYSTIC FIBROSIS?
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene. This gene controls the movement of salt and water in and out of your cells, so the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus, making it hard to breathe and digest food.
HISTORY OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS?
In fact as far back as 1857 there were songs that warned that ‘the child will soon die whose forehead tastes salty when kissed’. This idea would be proven in 1953 when Paul di Sant’Agnese revealed the increased salt content of sweat in people with cystic fibrosis.
The modern history of cystic fibrosis didn't begin till 1938 when Dr Dorothy Andersen, a pathologist, provided the first clear description of cystic fibrosis. However, before then it was recognised that people certainly had the disease.
it was not until 1943 that it was considered a legitimate disease.
The first mutation that causes CF was found in 1988. This hospital, located in Toronto, has done a significant amount of research on childhood ailments. Since that first mutation, there have been more than a thousand other mutations that have been found that are known causes of CF.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS?
CAN IT BE CURED?
WHAT IS THE CHANCE OF INHERITING CYSTIC FIBROSIS?
Since CF occurs in one of the first 22 pairs of chromosomes, and is not sex-linked, so the disease can occur in either gender.To inherit the disease a child must receive two defective genes. Both parents must carry the cystic fibrosis trait or have CF themselves in order to have a baby with CF. People who are carriers have only one defective gene, if both parents are carriers there is a chance their child could have CF.