Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes chronic lung infections and
breathing becomes continually hampered as the disease progresses. This disease is “caused by a
mutation in the gene cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)”, which is
why the disease is called cystic fibrosis. After doing research, Dorothy H. Andersen of Columbia
University, noticed the damage that cystic fibrosis did to the pancreas and lungs, she then gave
cystic fibrosis its’ name. The root word for cystic is cyst and the suffix is ic. The root word for
fibrosis is fibr and the suffix is osis, which is an abnormal condition.
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. “An individual must inherit two non-functioning
CF genes – one from each …show more content…
Malfunctioning of sweat glands
cause perspiration to contain excessive salt.” With all these organs being affected by cystic
fibrosis, the infections progressively destroy the lungs. Lung disease is the leading cause of
death in cystic fibrosis patients.
New born screening is where testing for cystic fibrosis begins. If an infant has a high
level of an enzyme called immunoreacitve trypsin in their blood (occurs if there is an injury to
the pancreas) further testing is performed. A sweat test, which is the most reliable way to
diagnose cystic fibrosis, is performed on the child. It is a painless test where sweat is collected
from the child’s forearm. The test measures the amount of salt chemicals in sweat. Salt levels in
people without cystic fibrosis are very low. People with cystic fibrosis have 2 to 5 times the
Felix 3
normal amount of salt in their sweat. The lack of CFTR prevents the salt from being absorbed
back into the sweat glands. Another way to confirm the diagnosis is to run a small electrical
current across the nasal lining (epithelium). Different solutions are applied to the nasal lining
and the electric current is
breathing becomes continually hampered as the disease progresses. This disease is “caused by a
mutation in the gene cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)”, which is
why the disease is called cystic fibrosis. After doing research, Dorothy H. Andersen of Columbia
University, noticed the damage that cystic fibrosis did to the pancreas and lungs, she then gave
cystic fibrosis its’ name. The root word for cystic is cyst and the suffix is ic. The root word for
fibrosis is fibr and the suffix is osis, which is an abnormal condition.
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. “An individual must inherit two non-functioning
CF genes – one from each …show more content…
Malfunctioning of sweat glands
cause perspiration to contain excessive salt.” With all these organs being affected by cystic
fibrosis, the infections progressively destroy the lungs. Lung disease is the leading cause of
death in cystic fibrosis patients.
New born screening is where testing for cystic fibrosis begins. If an infant has a high
level of an enzyme called immunoreacitve trypsin in their blood (occurs if there is an injury to
the pancreas) further testing is performed. A sweat test, which is the most reliable way to
diagnose cystic fibrosis, is performed on the child. It is a painless test where sweat is collected
from the child’s forearm. The test measures the amount of salt chemicals in sweat. Salt levels in
people without cystic fibrosis are very low. People with cystic fibrosis have 2 to 5 times the
Felix 3
normal amount of salt in their sweat. The lack of CFTR prevents the salt from being absorbed
back into the sweat glands. Another way to confirm the diagnosis is to run a small electrical
current across the nasal lining (epithelium). Different solutions are applied to the nasal lining
and the electric current is