Cystic Fibrosis (Noun)
Meaning
The most common hereditary disease; the child's lungs and intestines and pancreas become clogged with thick mucus; caused by defect in a single gene; no cure is known.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Cystic fibrosis is the most common hereditary disease in children and young adults, affecting over 30,000 people in the United States alone.
- A child with cystic fibrosis often has lungs, intestines, and pancreas that become clogged with thick mucus, making it difficult to breathe and digest food.
- Cystic fibrosis is caused by a defect in a single gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of cells, resulting in the production of thick mucus.
- While researchers are working to find a cure for cystic fibrosis, no cure is currently known, and treatment is focused on managing the symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease.
- Early diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with the disease, and genetic testing can help identify carriers of the defective gene.