Cystic fibrosis: need for mass deployable screening methods

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CFTR is a member of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette superfamily of proteins and it functions as a chloride channel. CFTR largely controls the working of epithelial cells of the airways, the gastrointestinal tract, exocrine glands, and genitourinary system. Cystic fibrosis is responsible for severe chronic pulmonary disorders in children. Other maladies in the spectrum of this life-limiting disorder include nasal polyposis, pansinusitis, rectal prolapse, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, insulin-dependent hyperglycemia, and cirrhosis. This review summarizes the recent state of art in the field of cystic fibrosis diagnostic methods with the help of CF literature published so far and proposes new research domains in the field of cystic fibrosis diagnosis.