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Cystic Fibrosis Research Paper

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Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that affects the organs such as the lungs, pancreas, intestines, and liver. The genetic disease also imbalances the body’s salt causing thick mucus to collect in the lungs, affecting the patients’ breathing and leading to several infections. Although cystic fibrosis can be fatal, many have patients lived up to an average of thirty-five years old. Since many individuals are affected by this disease, it is essential for people to understand it. Through the research of Cystic Fibrosis, doctors can learn the origin of the disease, the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatments.
Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease that originated from European ancestry, and about 1,000 people are diagnosed with it every year (Mateu 3). The chronic disease is inherited from the parent’s cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The gene makes a certain protein that maintains the movement of water and salt throughout the body’s cells. If the parent’s gene is defective, that could either mean that the child will be a carrier or a victim. A carrier is one who does not show any symptoms of the disease but can pass their faulty gene onto their descendents.
There are several different tests that can be performed to diagnose a person with Cystic …show more content…
These tests are performed to ensure that a person does or does not have CF. The test is carried out by collecting sweat samples on a gauze pad and the salt levels are measured in a lab to determine the state of a person. Genetic or carrier tests are accomplished by testing an individual’s CFTR gene and determining if there is a mutation in the gene. Newborn screening tests are performed by drawing an infant’s blood, placing it on a Guthrie card, and sending to a laboratory to test for CF. Although many of these tests are accurate, sometimes they can be performed

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