Cystic fibrosis, traditionally regarded as a "white" disease in SA, is proving to be no respecter of colour. Instead of the few dozen patients formerly believed to suffer from the inherited chronic disease, doctors now believe numbers could run into thousands - most of them undiagnosed. Cystic fibrosis, traditionally regarded as a "white" disease in SA, is proving to be no respecter of colour. Instead of the few dozen patients formerly believed to suffer from the inherited chronic disease, doctors now believe numbers could run into thousands - most of them undiagnosed.Indeed, some researchers believe thousands of black South Africans may have died from cystic fibrosis complications without the symptoms being recognised."Children who died after being diagnosed with malnutrition, lung infections or diarrhoea may well have been displaying the symptoms of cystic fibrosis," says Professor Michele Ramsay, head of the molecular genetics laboratory in the department of human genetics at th...
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