http://www.purplesoup.org/news/ http://www.purplesoup.org/cystic-fibrosis/ <p>Cystic fibrosis (also known as CF, mucovoidosis, or mucoviscidosis) is a genetic disorder known to be an inherited disease of the secretory glands, including the glands that make mucus and sweat. </p><p>The hallmarks of cystic fibrosis are salty tasting skin, normal appetite but poor growth and poor weight gain, excess mucus production, and coughing/shortness of breath. Males can be infertile due to the condition Congenital absence of the vas deferens. Often, symptoms of CF appear in infancy and childhood. Meconium ileus is a typical finding in newborn babies with CF. </p><p>Although technically a rare disease, cystic fibrosis is ranked as one of the most widespread life-shortening genetic diseases. It is most common among nations in the Western world; one in twenty-two people of Mediterranean descent is a carrier of one gene for CF, making it the most common genetic disease in these populations.</p><p> An exception is Finland, where only one in 80 people carry a CF mutation.[1] In the United States, 1 in 4,000 children are born with CF.[2] In 1997, about 1 in 3,300 caucasian children in the United States was born with cystic fibrosis. In contrast, only 1 in 15,000 African American children suffered from cystic fibrosis, and in Asian Americans the rate was even lower at 1 in 32,000.[3]</p> Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:45:00 -0700 http://www.purplesoup.org/cystic-fibrosis/ http://www.purplesoup.org/purple-soup-website/ <p>Purple Soup Website is officially launched at Monash University.</p> Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:51:00 -0700 http://www.purplesoup.org/purple-soup-website/