A member asked:

If no one in my family has cystic fibrosis like even my distant relatives and my dad is arabic and my mom is caucasian can i stil hav cystic fibrosis?

13 doctors weighed in across 3 answers
Dr. Charles Gordon answered

Specializes in Adolescent Medicine

At your age very unl: ikely. At birth in most if not all states a tiny blood sample is taken and analyzed for a number of inborn errors of metabolism including the gene which controls the transport of the chloride ion across your cell membranes which is the underlying defect in CF. Problems almost always show up very early and are usually checked with an iontopheresis test.

Answered 11/28/2017

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Yes and unlikely: The condition is passed to a kid by 2 normal parents that may have picked up and carried the defective CF gene in dozens of generations without it ever coming out in a kid. It requires two carrier(unaffected) parents passing it to their baby. Having said that, it would be rare if at all possible for someone to age 23 and never had enough related symptoms to be diagnosed.

Answered 4/20/2016

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Yes: Cystic fibrosis comes in all degrees of severity. I diagnosed it at autopsy in lady in her 70's with unexplained chronic lung disease. It's recessive and it's common for there to be a first case in a family. It is less common in non-European origin people but still occurs. If there is a question, get tested. Good luck and forgive my candor.

Answered 10/23/2016

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