Cystic fibrosis is a severe genetic disease that causes serious harm to the digestive system, lungs, and different body organs. Cystic fibrosis attacks the sweat, digestive juices and mucus-secreting body cells and causes the secretion of sticky and thick fluids.

• Difficult breathing
• Recurrent lung infections
• Recurrent pancreatitis
• Problem with bowel movement
• Sterility in males
• Difficulty in increasing weight
• Salty sweat secretion from the skin

• Cystic fibrosis is caused by a change in the gene, viz., the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene.
• The CFTR gene regulates the fluid movement in and out of the cell. A mutated gene causes cells to produce bulky mucus, obstructing fluid movement. It increases salt in various organs such as the lungs, liver, pancreas, and intestine.
• The mutated gene runs in families and causes the disease. Both the mother and the father must be carriers of the mutated gene to pass the disease to the subsequent generation.

Some common health issues associated with cystic fibrosis are:

• Nasal polyps
• Pancreas infection
• Male sterility
• Insufficiency of vitamins
• Inadequate growth in children
• Serious lung infections
• Hemoptysis
• Liver cirrhosis, in which liver tissues become scratched and damaged