Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited illness that ravages the lungs and many other organs in the body. Fifty years ago, children with CF generally died by about age 10. But wide-ranging research has led to dramatic improvements in treatment. Today, the life expectancy for CF patients in the U.S. has risen to about 37 years. Some with CF live into their 40s, 50s, or even older.
CF affects 30,000 people in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide. The main symptom is thick mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to repeated infections, scarring (fibrosis), and gradual deterioration.
“When we breathe, mucus is there to keep us protected, trapping particles and bacteria and moving these away from the lungs,” says Dr. William B. Guggino, a researcher with the Johns Hopkins Cystic Fibrosis Center. But in CF, “the mucus gets sticky, and bacteria grow on sticky mucus.”…