Cystic fibrosis (CF)

a genetic (inherited) disease characterized by the production of abnormal secretions, leading to the accumulation of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and intestine.  This build-up of mucus causes difficulty breathing and recurrent lung infections, as well as problems with nutrient absorption due to problems in the pancreas and intestines. Without treatment, CF results in death for 95 percent of affected children before age five; however, the longest-lived CF patient survived into his late 30s.