Closer to a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis Essay

Cystic fibrosis is an genetic disease that can cause bad damage to the lungs and other organs in the body. It is a common genetic (Gene) disease affecting to geriatric, (adults) young adults, or and kids. Now they’re still searching for a cure, but the only thing that is currently available is a donor’s lungs.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal autosomal recessive disorder with a clinical incidence of 1 in every 3500 newborns1. Currently, over 4000 Canadians have CF, with 60% being adults2. In the past, CF was considered a fatal disease with a life expectancy of less than two years, however, advances in enzymatic and antibiotic therapy have greatly improved the life expectancy of patients afflicted with CF3. Currently, the median age of Canadian CF patients is 50 years2.

In infants symptoms include coughing, wheezing, excess mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath, extremely salty skin and decelerated growth. With infants it is very common for them to develop pneumonia infections because of all the bacteria that resides in the lungs. With treatment, most patients with cystic fibrosis live into their 20’s and 30’s, some individuals with milder cases can live longer. Death is most often due to end-stage lung disease.Thus far no cure for the disease has been found. Although, research on gene therapy is promising. Treatment is generally aimed at alleviating symptoms, preventing infections, and slowing the progress of the disorder. (Egan’s 10th Ed,

Cystic Fibrosis is a chromosomal abnormality, meaning that one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes are not what they are supposed to be. A person without Cystic Fibrosis has a gene in chromosome 7, which produces a normal and substantial amount of protein called Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR), which in turn produces thin and watery mucus. A person with Cystic Fibrosis has a gene in chromosome 7, which produces either abnormal CFTR protein or no CFTR protein at all, which causes the body to produce thick and sticky mucus. People who are born with Cystic Fibrosis have two copies of the gene. One gene is received by each parent. In most cases, parents of people with Cystic Fibrosis, usually both carry the gene, however, the Cystic Fibrosis gene they are carry is recessive compared to the normal gene, allowing the normal gene it take over due to its dominance. This means that they do not have Cystic Fibrosis themselves. According to Cystic Fibrosis Queensland (2015) there is a one in four chance a person will have Cystic Fibrosis, a two in four chance that person will have the gene but not the disease and there is a one in four chance that the person will not have the disease or gene at all. The Cystic Fibrosis gene is easily passed on, however, the disorder not so much. The disorder is only passed on if a person obtains both the Cystic Fibrosis genes from their parents.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation provides support to help improve the lives of people who live with the disease. The foundation’s main goal is to find a cure to Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by changed in a gene on chromosome seven. It is described as a buildup of mucus in the lungs and organs. The mucus in the lungs clogs the airways and bacteria grows, gets blocked in and eventually leads to infections that causes lung damage. After lung damage has occurred, respiratory failure then happens.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease which is progressive and limits breathing ability. The lungs and other organs are affected by a thick buildup of mucus. This mucus traps bacteria which leads lung damage, infections, and respiratory failure. The digestive enzymes being released is prevented, affecting the breakdown of food and nutrients being absorbed. ?More than 30,000 children and adults in the United States have Cystic Fibrosis. 70,000 people worldwide.? (Diagnosed With Cystic Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) Someone who has Cystic Fibrosis have a defective gene from each parent which produces faulty protein. The CFTR gene is the gene that is mutated causing this. The channel that transports chloride in and out of cells is created by instructions that are created by CFTR gene. The regulation of chloride ions and water are prevented creating the thick mucus formed on the passageways of lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Cystic Fibrosis doesn?t cause learning problems are mobility of the person. Babies with this still develop and grow up normally. The average life expectancy is close to 40 years, and has been increasing in the last fifty years thanks to improved care. ?Chronic coughing, recurring chest colds, wheezing, shortness of breath, frequent sinus infections, and allergies that last all year, are the most common symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis.? (Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms) Since this disease is progressive

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes the body’s lungs to generate a different type of mucus than a non-infected body would. The contaminated lungs will produce mucus that is thick and adhesive which clogs the lungs and leads to an unpleasant and abhorrent lung infection. CF also interferes with the pancreas, disallowing the digestive enzymes from breaking down and absorbing food in the intestine. This can result in low nutrition, feeble growth, excessive sweat production, difficulties in breathing, and sometimes lung disease. When producing extra sweat and mucus, the body loses salt. If too much salt is lost, it can cause abnormal heart rhythms, disturbance of minerals in the blood, and perhaps, shock.

The pancreas produces insulin and makes proteins that process sustenance. In Cystic Fibrosis patients, the thick sticky bodily fluid is delivered, obstructs the conduits of the pancreas, diminishing the creation of insulin and keeping digestive chemicals from achieving the guts to help absorption. At the point when this happens, patients can have ceaseless the runs, hunger, poor development and weight reduction. In their puberty or even adulthood, patients with Cystic fibrosis can create cystic-fibrosis related diabetes mellitus (CFRDM) because of the deficiency of insulin. Cystic fibrosis was once viewed as a lethal sickness in influenced patient's youth, yet with enhanced and new medications, better administration of the infection, and on-going examination, patients with Cystic fibrosis are living great into adulthood. Consistently, 1,000 youngsters with cystic fibrosis (CF) are conceived in the United States. One in 3,000 Caucasian babies has the confusion, making CF a standout amongst the most widely recognized deadly hereditary sicknesses in

These thick, secretions can also be found in the lungs, creating breathing complications and a breeding ground for bacteria.

Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease of the secretory glands (National Heart, Lungs, and Blood Institute[NHLBI] , "What Is Cystic Fibrosis?", 2013). People who have cystic fibrosis inherit two defective genes, one from each parent (NHLBI , "What Is Cystic Fibrosis?", 2013). The body parts affected by cystic fibrosis are the lungs, pancreas, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs (NHLBI , "What Is Cystic Fibrosis?", 2013). The gene at fault for causing cystic fibrosis is the CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene (Genetics Home Reference, "CFTR gene", 2014). The transport of salts and chloride in and out of the cells is affected by the mutation of this gene (Cystic Fibrosis Research Inc., "About Cystic Fibrosis"). This disease most commonly affects Caucasians of North European descent (NHLBI , "What Is Cystic Fibrosis?", 2013).

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disorder of the lungs. This condition is hereditary and affects the cells that produce mucus and digestive juices. Instead of acting as a lubricant, these secretions become thick and slimy due to a defective gene and its protein product. The thick substances block the tubes, ducts, and passageways of the pancreas and lungs. Those suffering from cystic fibrosis have difficulty breathing and frequently develop lung infections. Many also develop diabetes due to natural enzymes being stopped from helping the body break down food and absorb vital nutrients. There are no known cures for cystic fibrosis; however, there are many treatments

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease affecting Canadians (2). CF can affect multiple organs; however, the most fatal symptoms occur in the lung. As of 2013, the median age of survival for CF is roughly 50 years old with treatment (3). However, patient life-span decreases dramatically when treatment options such as antibiotics and enzymes are not administered, and nutritional changes or lung transplants are not made (3). Currently, there is no cure for CF, although current treatments can improve patient outcome.

Abstract: The main goal of this paper is to explain what Cystic Fibrosis is and also to explain what

The average life span of a person with Cystic Fibrosis is 25-30 years of age. Although the more traditional treatments of this disease are adequate, is there something else that could be even better? Gene therapy is fast becoming one of the more studied aspects of genetics today. Let's take a look at some details of Cystic Fibrosis and gene therapy.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that ultimately leads to death. It affects every racial group worldwide, but its prevalence varies from country to country. In those with cystic fibrosis, the lungs and digestive system are primarily affected by the disease. With the new developments in treatment and management, the 50 percent survival rate from the 1970’s has greatly improved, allowing patients to continue to live their lives longer than ever expected in the past. The new developments in prevention of exacerbations, therapy drugs and methods to preserve lung function have done great things to help patients extend their lives. Education is another important aspect of treating cystic fibrosis. For example, more the