How often do CF people face harassment/discrimination?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal inherited disease in white persons. CF is an autosomal recessive disorder, and most carriers of the gene are asymptomatic. CF is a disease of exocrine gland function, involving multiple organ systems and chiefly resulting in chronic respiratory infections, pancreatic enzyme insufficiency, and associated complications in untreated patients. Pulmonary involvement occurs in 90% of patients surviving the neonatal period. End-stage lung disease is the principal cause of death. CF is caused by defects in the gene for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which encodes for a protein that functions as a chloride channel and is regulated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Mutations in the gene for CFTR (CFTR) result in abnormalities of cAMP-regulated chloride transport across epithelial cells on mucosal surfaces. Defective CFTR results in decreased secretion of chloride and increased reabsorption of sodium and water acr
