By Ethan Naiman

Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disorder affecting the

exocrine glands. It causes the production of abnormally
thick mucus, leading to the blockage of the pancreatic
ducts, intestines, and bronchi and often resulting in
respiratory infection.
It is caused by a recessive allele. This means that it must
be inherited from both parents. The genetic diagram shows
how this can happen.

 . Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder caused by a

recessive allele. This genetic diagram shows the possible
outcomes when both parents are heterozygous for the
faulty allele. There is a one in four chance or 25 percent
of the offspring being homozygous for the faulty allele,
and so having cystic fibrosis.

The image shows how CFTR genes are inherited. A person

inherits two copies of the CFTR gene, one from each parent. If
each parent has a normal CFTR gene and a faulty CFTR gene,
each child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting two normal
genes; a 50 percent chance of inheriting one normal gene and
one faulty gene; and a 25 percent chance of inheriting two faulty
genes.

 The heterozygote case in which the heterozygote

genotype has a higher relative fitness than either the
homozygote dominant or homozygote recessive
genotype. The specific case of heterozygote advantage
due to a single locus is known as over dominance.

 Even if there is no history of disease in your family, if you

and your partner are both carriers, there is a 1 in 4
chance with each pregnancy that your child will have
cystic fibrosis.

Many young adults with cystic fibrosis finish college or

find employment. Lung disease eventually worsens to the
point where the person is disabled. Today, the average
life span for people with CF who live to adulthood is
approximately 37 years, a dramatic increase over the last
three decades.

 Children with cystic fibrosis take medicines to loosen the

thick secretions in their lungs. They often take antibiotics.
Parents clap their child's chest several times a day to
loosen secretions and help them drain.

Children with digestive problems due to cystic fibrosis

need to take medicine (pancreatic enzymes) before
meals to help them digest their food.

 Many states, including New York, conduct newborn

screening for cystic fibrosis. This means that infants are
screened and identified as possibly having cystic fibrosis.
Further testing needs to be completed to make the
diagnosis definite. This screening program is important
because it alerts caregivers to a potential health condition
before the infant has a chance to develop breathing and
nutritional problems. By making the diagnosis early,
doctors and other cargivers can start treatment early and
avoid some of the complications of cystic fibrosis.