Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that makes the body produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus. This is what happens when cells in the lungs and pancreas fail to transport salt in the body where it needs to go. The thick mucus also blocks digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines where they are supposed to break down and digest food.

Individuals with CF have a variety of symptoms. The most common are: very salty-tasting skin; persistent coughing, wheezing or pneumonia; excessive appetite but poor weight gain; and bulky stools. The standard diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis measures the amount of salt in a person's sweat. A high salt level indicates that a person has CF.

CF is one of the more common diseases and it affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. The carrier frequency amongst all Caucasians, including Ashkenazi Jews, is approximately 1 in 25. The gene for CF is located on chromosome #7.

CF is not yet curable, but in recent years, researchers have learned a great deal about the CF gene and have developed many new treatments. CF treatment depends on how advanced the disease is and what organs it affects. Chest physical therapy, antibiotics, inhalation treatments, and enriched diets are few of many treatment options.