Cystic Fibrosis and Who It Affects

About 30,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis affects both males and females, and it affects people from all racial and ethnic groups. However, it is most common among Caucasians whose ancestors came from northern Europe; it affects 1 in 3,000 Caucasian babies in the United States.

 
Cystic fibrosis is also common in Latinos and Native Americans but is less common among African-Americans and Asian-Americans.
 
Approximately 12 million Americans are carriers of an abnormal cystic fibrosis gene. However, many of them do not know that they are cystic fibrosis carriers.
 
(Click Causes of Cystic Fibrosis to learn more about the chances of inheriting the cystic fibrosis gene.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD