WHAT EXACTLY IS CYSTIC FIBROSIS?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition affecting more than 10,500 people in the UK.
You are born with CF and cannot develop it later in life.
One in 25 people carries the faulty gene that causes it, usually without knowing.
People have CF because they have inherited a faulty gene from both of their parents.
If both parents have the gene, there is a 25 per cent chance the child will have CF. There’s also a 50 per cent chance of the child being a gene carrier but not having CF, and a 25 per cent chance they will not have the CF gene.
The gene affected by CF controls the movement of salt and water in and out of cells. People with cystic fibrosis experience a build-up of thick sticky mucus in the lungs, digestive system and other organs, causing a wide range of challenging symptoms affecting the entire body.
Cystic fibrosis can be diagnosed during newborn screening, which is carried out as part of the heel-prick test that all babies in the UK receive, and positive results are followed up using a sweat test.
Everyone with CF will have a slightly different variety and severity of symptoms.
There is a long list of physical symptoms associated with CF, but most people with the condition will experience only a handful of these at any time. There are many treatments available to tackle some of the life-limiting effects of these symptoms and reduce the impact of CF on the body.
People with CF are susceptible to a range of infections as well as reduced lung function, which can have a huge impact on health and well-being.
Cystic fibrosis can cause various problems with the digestive system, requiring medications – sometimes including insulin – to be taken with every meal, as well as special dietary adjustments.
Inflammation and scarring of the pancreas can prevent the effective production of insulin, resulting in CF-related diabetes.
The condition can also cause the blockage of small ducts in the liver, leading to liver disease.
In people with cystic fibrosis, bones may become thinner and weaker at a younger age than in people who do not have the condition.
Both men and women with CF may have problems conceiving a child‘naturally.’
Other symptoms can include kidney and hearing complications, sinusitis, nasal polyps, nail clubbing and sweating.
For people with cystic fibrosis, cross-infection – which occurs when one person spreads an infection to another – can be very harmful and poses a particular threat.
Bugs, which can settle in the lungs and be harmful for people with CF, can be easily transmitted from one person with cystic fibrosis to another.
This is why people with CF should not meet face to face.
Living with CF can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to stop you from going to school, having a family or getting a job.
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust has a range of practical and financial support to help lighten the load, as well as a number of resources and publications available to download.
See www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk