Cystic Fibrosis

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What is it?


Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the mucus in the body. When a patient has cystic fibrosis, the mucus in their body, especially in their lungs and intestinal tract, becomes thick and glue-like. This causes the body to not be able to move the mucus, leading to mucus build-up. This leads to breathing problems, lung disease, and problems with nutrition absorption, digestion, and growth. There is no cure, and the disease generally gets worse over time. Progress in treatment has led to a steady increase in life expectancy.

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You may have seen the 2019 movie Five Feet Apart about two teenagers with cystic fibrosis. Check out this article from St. Michael's Hospital to see what the movie got right and what it got wrong.

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Cystic fibrosis symptoms start early in childhood, so it is typically diagnosed at an early age. While symptoms are not the same for everyone, a baby with cystic fibrosis might have:

  • a blocked small intestine at birth leading to an inability to pass their first stool
  • very salty sweat or skin
  • diarrhea
  • not growing or gaining weight as expected
  • breathing problems, lung infections, a cough that does not go away, and wheezing
As the infant grows, other symptoms might develop, such as:

  • rounding and flattening (clubbing) of the fingers
  • rectal prolapse (part of the rectum protrudes from the anus)
  • growths, called polyps, in the nose or sinuses
Courtesy of MyHealth.Alberta.ca.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, or as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
The gene for cystic fibrosis is a recessive trait. For a person to get the disease, they must inherit the gene from both biological parents. If the gene is inherited from only one parent, the child will not get cystic fibrosis, but they will be a carrier for the gene and can pass it on to their children if they procreate with another carrier. Being of non-Hispanic European descent increases the chance of a person carrying the gene.