This disease is the consequence of a defect in membrane transport that allows P. aeruginosa to thrive. People that suffer from Cystic fibrosis have a single genetic flaw in chlorine channels that will lead to salt accumulation and mucus built up. In a healthy person the airways will produce a natural antibiotic defensin that will kill any bacteria that is being inhaled. But because people with CF have a buildup of a salty environment defensin is disabled. The inability of the antibiotic defensin to get rid of the inhaled bacteria causes the bacteria to reach the lungs. This gives Pseudomonas aeruginosa the opportunity to thrive under a salty, humidified environment which will later lead to infections that will affect respiratory problems. P. aeruginosa will disable the white blood cells in the lungs that fight bacteria this is what causes the air way cells to produce the excessive sticky mucus. The thick sticky mucus will lead to more bacteria because the area is undehydrated and it does not have enough water. This will lead to a defective salt transport and regular body defenses such as ciliary defense mechanism of the lungs will not sweep up the bacteria. This will lead to more infections in the lung. Cystic Fibrosis is considered the most common fatal genetic disease in the united states today and one out of two thousand …show more content…
The afflicted individual has inherited two copies of the mutated, and therefore defective, cystic fibrosis gene, one from each parent. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, more than seventy-five percent of people with cystic fibrosis are diagnosed by age 2. This is important because cystic fibrosis is a complex disease that can yield widely different types and severity of symptoms between person to person and factors such as age of diagnosis can affect the individual’s health and the course of the disease. Those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis will likely have ongoing respiratory therapy, digestive therapy, and treatment with medicines such as