[Mucoviscidosis--not a topic for pneumonologists?]

Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal hereditary disease, adult physicians remain to be relatively unfamiliar with this disease. In Germany, more than 25 per cent of the 4,000 CF patients are adults, but are treated by paediatricians. The present paper aims to focus the pulmonologist's attention to this problem. A brief review is given on aspects of genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Centralized treatment by an experienced CF clinic is important not only for children, but also for adults, and the contribution of adult pulmonologists to the care of these patients is urgently needed.