Major breakthrough alert!
Scientists have developed a method to test the sweat of infants to detect cystic fibrosis (CF).
CF is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body.
Those with CF have a genetic mutation that causes mucus buildup and allows biofilms to form in the lungs, along with the accumulation of chloride ions that are excreted as a salty sweat.
Cystic fibrosis is incurable – but the earlier the diagnosis the better the symptoms can be treated.
Currently, CF diagnosis tests yield vague results that do not accurately predict disease progression. These tests do use a sweat test, but it does not give any staging or prognostic information and doesn’t diagnose all cases – which is why this new sweat test is a big deal!
The study identified several previously unknown chemicals in sweat that were associated with infants who had CF – paving the way for a stronger test that can detect a lot of the previously undetected chemicals.
Therefore, this new test could be used in cases where results are borderline or too close to call, as well as track the progression of the disease, which current tests do not do!
Read all about the study here!
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To find out more about CF, visit our partners at Cystic Life and Strawfie Challenge.
