Courtesy Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

What is it?
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections, and
• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

What causes it?
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease. That means people inherit it from their parents through genes (or DNA), which also determine a lot of other characteristics. The defective gene that is responsible for causing cystic fibrosis is on chromosome 7. To have cystic fibrosis, a person must inherit two copies of the defective CF gene – one copy from each parent. If both parents are carriers of the CF gene (i.e., they each have one copy of the defective gene), their child will have a 25% chance of inheriting both defective copies and having cystic fibrosis, a 50% chance of inheriting one defective copy and being a carrier, and a 25% chance of not having CF or carrying the gene. An additional 10 million more – or about one in every 31 Americans – are carriers of the defective CF gene, but do not have the disease. The disease is most common in Caucasians, but it can affect all races.

How does it affect my job?
People with CF aren’t limited in their choice of employment, but they must make time for their daily self care routines (completing daily treatments). However, CF patients should know their tolerance for stress, as different jobs have varying levels of stress. For many people with CF, just managing the day to day self care treatments can be a challenge. Careers that involve high levels of stress (Wall Street, etc.) or danger (police) may involve more stress than the CF patient can handle.

Can it be prevented or treated?
People living with CF must follow a regular treatment routine to stay healthy and maintain optimal lung function. Most often, treatment for cystic fibrosis begins with techniques to trigger strong coughs that help loosen and clear thick mucus from the airways. Of course, airway clearance is just one part of the treatment routine. Nutrition and drug therapies are also important for children and adults with cystic fibrosis.

To learn more about cystic fibrosis, visit our website to get more in-depth description of treatments.

Currently, there is no cure for cystic fibrosis. However, specialized medical care, aggressive drug treatments, and therapies, along with proper CF nutrition, can lengthen and improve the quality of life for those with CF.