Essay on Cystic Fibrosis

Nearly 1 in every 30 Americans are a carrier of the recessive gene that leads to CF (About Cystic Fibrosis, n.d.). Although CF is a life-threatening condition, through the advancement of treatments and care, there has been a steady increase in life expectancy and improvement in the quality of life. The current mean age of survival is now 40. Although that does not seem very high, sixty years ago, a child diagnosed with CF did not survive childhood (About Cystic Fibrosis, n.d.). CF is a complex disease, where the types and severity of symptoms can differ widely from person to person. Symptoms may include fatigue, salty-tasting skin, persistent cough with phlegm, wheezing and shortness of breath, lung infections, and poor growth and weight loss (Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors, 2018). Many different factors, such as the age of diagnosis, can affect an individual's health and the course of the

Progressive lung disease is the predominant cause of illness and death in people with CF. Mucus blocks the airway passages and results in a predisposition toward chronic bacterial infections. Although the genetic defect underlying CF has been characterized, exactly how and why individuals become infected with Pseudomonas is unknown. The lungs of most children with CF become colonized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa before their 10th birthday. Chronic infection with these bacteria reduces an individuals quality of life, causing acute symptoms of cough, sputum production, and inflammation, which causes repeated exacerbations or episodes of intense breathing problems. Eventually leading to scarring and destruction of lung tissue and, ultimately, death. While it is clear that antibiotic therapy directed against these organisms lengthens the life span of individuals with CF, increasing antibiotic resistance develops. Although antibiotics can decrease the frequency and duration of these attacks, the bacterium establishes a permanent residence and can never be completely

Cystic Fibrosis, also known as CF, is one of the most common life-threatening genetic disorders found in people. Discovered in 1938 by Dr. Dorothy Hansine Andersen, Cystic Fibrosis severely affects two parts of the human body, including the respiratory system and the digestive system. Cystic Fibrosis causes the mucus glands to secrete very thick and sticky mucus. This mucus then clogs the tiny air passages and traps bacteria in the lungs. The thick mucus also stops the release of digestive enzymes in the pancreas from reaching the small intestine. According to Cystic Fibrosis Queensland (2015) more than one million Australians carry the Cystic Fibrosis Gene, with one in every 25 people, often not realising they are carrying the deadly gene.

What is Cystic Fibrosis? How does it affect people living with it? Cystic Fibrosis, also known as CF, is a life-threatening hereditary disease. It is inherited by a faulty cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductor (CFTR) gene from each parent (Kowalczyk, 2014, p. 74). This faulty gene makes a defective protein that does not work well and causes the body to produce sticky, thick mucus and very salty sweat("About CF: Causes, Signs & Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis,"

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.

For centuries, genetic diseases have raided the planet growing stronger and mutating faster every day. Scientists have been working hard to develop concoctions to reduce the crippling effects of these diseases; if not eradicate the harsh effects of these potentially deadly genetic conditions altogether. Among these numerous life threatening genetic diseases is cystic fibrosis (CF), an inherited lifelong condition that promotes the production of thick sticky mucus causing lung infections from the entrapment of various bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Cystic Fibrosis affects 1 in every 2,500 children at birth. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Cystic Fibrosis, or CF, is a genetic disorder. A genetic disorder is inherited, and is contributed to by both parents. (lung.org) Each parent has one abnormal gene. (lung.org) Cystic Fibrosis is where the body can not make, or it makes an abnormal version of the CFTR protein. CFTR is also known as cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator. There are several symptoms, and causes of Cystic Fibrosis. These symptoms are diagnosed, according to what causes CF. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease, that when after diagnosed, doctors will suggest treatments to help with the condition. Cystic Fibrosis is most common in white infants, but can

“About 1 in 4,000 children in the United States are born with CF” (Crosta, 2009) and “one in every 3,600 children born in Canada [have] cystic fibrosis” ("Cystic fibrosis Canada," 2011). According to several resources a consensus has formed which proposes that people with northern European ancestry, specifically those that are white, are more likely to be carriers of the disease and thus more at risk of having children with the mutated gene. This risk is even more likely if the other parent of the child is a carrier. Another risk factor for CF is “family history, since the disease is hereditary it increases they likely hood of

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder caused by mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein, which results in a defective chloride channels. Chloride is part of salt that helps transportation of water needed for thin, free flowing mucus. The main characterization of cystic fibrosis is thick, sticky mucus in the lungs, making breathing difficult and allowing pathogens to invade (Ratjen and Döring 2003). Airway mucus creates an iron limiting environment to prevent bacterial growth. However, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacteria able to resist this airway mucus. This proposes a question as to why people with cystic fibrosis are prone to infection when exposed to the same pathogen as any healthy individuals. Research has suggested defective mucus clearance and biofilm formation could contribute to prolonged Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in people with cystic fibrosis (Gi et al. 2015). Also, targeting cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator proteins to allow chloride transportation has been proven to decrease mucus volume and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infected tissue (Rowe et al. 2014). The above information suggests increased mucus volume causes prolonged infection in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. This paper will describe cystic fibrosis and will focus on the unanswered question as to why cystic fibrosis patients experience chronic infection in their lungs.

helps make enzymes that digest food. When you have Cystic Fibrosis, the level of mucus ends

Cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease of the secretory glands that affects the liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs, sinuses, and sex organs, affects about 30,000 Americans with 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Normal mucus is a watery, slick substance made by the tissues that keeps the inside of organs moist, preventing infection. People with cystic fibrosis have thick and sticky mucus that builds up in their lungs, blocking the airways. This buildup can cause serious lung diseases from bacteria growth that damages the lungs. This damage to the lungs can cause severe breathing problems which can lead to respiratory failure. Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death in people with cystic fibrosis. The thick and sticky mucus also can block the tubes that carry important enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestines that are needed to break down food and for your body to absorb the nutrients essential for one’s health.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease in the United States today. CF is an autosomal recessive disease that occurs approximately one out of 3,300 live births (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 1998). Autosomal means that the gene for CF is not carried on the sex chromosomes and males and females are both afflicted

Cystic Fibrosis is the leading autosomal recessive disease in people who are Caucasian.  In fact, one in twenty caucasians are a carrier of the disease.  It is a progressive disease that often causes relentless lung infections along with other complications, and these limit the patient’s ability to breathe overtime.  To this day, there still isn’t a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, which is commonly referred to as CF.  The average life expectancy for a person with CF is 40 years old.  This is a great improvement from when the disease was first discovered in 1930, but is still a young age.  In this paper we will review the biological causes of Cystic Fibrosis and the current treatments that are in place, as well as propose a cure.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic disease that imitates organs such as the liver, lungs, pancreas, and intestine. It interrupts the body’s salt balance, separating little salt and water on the exterior of cells and affecting the thin layer of the mucus that normally keeps the lungs free of germs to become dense and tacky. This mucus is tough to cough out, and it chokes the lungs and airways, leading to infections and injured lungs. It is also known as mucuviscidosis because of the mucus that constructs up and blocks the respiratory system and pancreas. "A defective gene causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. These thick secretions also obstruct the pancreas,

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