Deveney+A

= Cystic Fibrosis =



====**Cystic Fibrosis** is a life-threatening disease that causes thick, stickly muscus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body. The mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas. The pancreas is the organ that assists the body in breaking down and absorbing food. Cystic Fibrosis is one of the most common lung diseases in children and young adults.====



**Initial Symptoms:**
 * One early symptom is no bowel movement in the first few days the child is born. (Intestinal Blockage)
 * Breathing problems can also offer a sign of Cystic Fibrosis.
 * If the baby doesn't seem to be putting on weight, that is another warning sign.
 * Salty-tasting skin
 * A big appetite without weight gain
 * Large greasy stools
 * Frequent coughing and wheezing
 * Some milder cases of the disease don't develop until later in life, such as early teenage years or young adults.



=** Common Treatments: **= *Cystic Fibrosis is not yet a curable disease.

Treatment for lung problems:

 * Inhaled Medicines (help open the airways)
 * DNAse enzyme therapy (thin mucus to make it easier to cough up)
 * High concentration of salt solutions (hypertonic saline)
 * Flu vaccine and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine yearly
 * Lung transplant (severe cases)
 * Oxygen therapy (may be needed if lung disease gets increasingly worse)
 * Antibiotics by mouth, veins, or breathing treatments (prevent lung and sinus infections
 * Aerobic exercise or other therapies also help with the mucus buildup. A Percussion Vest, manual chest percussion, A-capella, or TheraPEP device are helpful.

Treatments for bowel and nutritional problems:

 * A special diet high in protein and calories (for older children and adults)
 * Pancreatic enzymes (help absorb fats and protein)
 * Vitamin supplements (especially vitamins A, D, E, and K)
 * Doctors may suggests other treatments due to the case (especially if you have very hard stools)



Side Effects:
Treatments can cause...
 * hair cell loss
 * loss of hearing
 * nervous feeling/restlessness
 * sore mouth, sore throat, or hoarseness
 * Cough and spasms of airways
 * fungus infections (in mouth)
 * Temporary growth delay in children
 * decreased bone thickness in adults
 * Clouding of the lens of the eye
 * high blood pressure in the eye or fluid buildup in the eye (glaucoma)



Prevention of the disease:
*There is no way to prevent Cystic Fibrosis. *Screening family's with a history of the disease can detect the gene in 60-90% of carriers (depending on the test).



The Chromosome Associated with the disease:
*The Chromosome that affects the victims of Cystic Fibrosis is Chromosome 7.



How the Disease is Inherited:

 * Cystic Fibrosis is inherited through an autosomal recessive pattern. Both copies of the gene in each cell must have mutations. The parents of the person who inherited the disease must each carry at least one copy of the mutated gene, making them carriers. They probably never showed signs or symptoms of the gene as they only have one allele for Cystic.



Populations with predispositions to the disease:
*Cystic Fibrosis is most commonly found in Caucasians of Northern European descent. Though it is most commonly found in Caucasians, it can occur in any ethnicity.

Works Cited:
"Cystic Fibrosis: MedlinePlus." //U.S National Library of Medicine//. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. //Cystic Fibrosis//. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

"Corticosteroids for Cystic Fibrosis." //EverydayHealth.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

"Cystic Fibrosis." //- Genetics Home Reference//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

"Cystic Fibrosis." //Cystic Fibrosis//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .