Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited condition in which a faulty gene causes body secretions to be abnormal, especially in the lungs and digestive system, leading to progressive lung damage and difficulty absorbing nutrients from food.
To be born with CF, a child must inherit two copies of the faulty gene. A person with only one copy does not have CF but is a carrier; each child of two carrier parents has a 25 percent chance of having CF. Genetic tests are available to check if a person is a carrier. Newborn babies can also be tested for CF.
Symptoms tend to begin in early childhood and may include oily, foul- smelling feces, failure to put on weight or grow at the normal rate, and recurrent respiratory infections. The sweat is also abnormally salty. Often, a constant cough develops. As the condition progresses, the lungs become damaged, and liver damage and diabetes may develop. Eventually, CF usually causes death from respiratory failure.
There is no cure, but treatment with medication, physical therapy, and a special diet can help to control symptoms. A lung transplant may also sometimes be an option.

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