What Is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that characteristically affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. CF is one of the most common hereditary diseases in the United States, occurring in approximately 1 of every 2,500-4,000 Caucasian births, 1 in 9,600 Hispanic births, 1 in 17,000 African American births, and 1 in 90,000 Asian births. Almost 40,000 people in the United States have CF.
Newborn Screening Program
The Newborn Screening Program is a collaborative effort between UConn John Dempsey Hospital Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis Center located at Connecticut Children’s. Each year, approximately 24,000 of the 35,000 births from 22 participating hospitals in Connecticut are screened by this program. The CF Newborn Screening Program identifies infants with CF (including confirmatory tests) approximately two weeks following birth. Early intervention has been shown to significantly improve the quality and length of life in individuals with CF.