Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease. Therefore, people with cystic fibrosis have inherited two copies of the defective cystic fibrosis gene -- one copy from each parent. Both parents must have at least one copy of the defective gene. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.
In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps bacteria leading to infections, extensive lung damage, and eventually, respiratory failure. Symptoms of cystic fibrosis include a very salty- tasting skin, persistent coughing, frequent lung infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Today the median predicted survival age is close to 40 years old. Breakthrough treatments have added years to the lives of people with cystic fibrosis but even though there has been significant progress in treating this disease, there is still no cure. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in the United States there are more than 30,000 people living with cystic fibrosis and approximately 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year. In inclusion, more than 75 percent of people with cystic fibrosis are diagnosed by age two and more than half of the cystic fibrosis population is age 18 or older.
