THE agonising wait to discover whether a baby has cystic fibrosis could soon
be a thing of the past. A small portable detector developed by researchers in
Ireland can give a result in minutes, rather than the full day needed for a lab
test.
Among Caucasians, about 1 in 2500 contracts cystic fibrosis. It wrecks vital
organs, including the lungs and pancreas, by clogging them with thick, sticky
mucus. Few sufferers live beyond the age of 30. Doctors can detect the disease
by looking for the genes that cause it, but a much more common check is the
“sweat test”. Cystic fibrosis boosts levels of sodium…
