Frequent colds and malnutrition can induce incurable disease

Moldovan doctors will be trained for 2 years by German specialists in a project for taking care of patients with cystic fibrosis. The project began on Tuesday, November 20, and is meant to increase the life expectancy of children with this disease, as most of them don’t even come of age, Info-Prim Neo reports. Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center Svetlana Sciuca said that the symptoms of the disease are hard to detect in the first years of life because they are too similar to the symptoms of respiratory infections. Malnutrition should alert the parents as it might well be a sing of this disease. “The incidence of the disease in Moldova is one case in 1500 newborns. Most children are diagnosed in their first years of life. Other patients are diagnosed only in adulthood. Early diagnosis is a problem for us. However, thanks to advanced medical equipment we received from Germany that measures the concentration of chlorine ions in the sweat test and which is the top standard in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, we can now detect the disease with precision”, said the specialist. Svetlana Sciuca added that in the first months after birth, the disease doesn’t manifest clinically. The treatment is long-term and very expensive. Patients have to take antibiotics by inhalation and pancreatic ferments during their whole life. The medication is provided for free by the state. Representative of the Ministry of Health Rodica Scutelnic said that cystic fibrosis is the most spread genetic disease in Europe and there is no cure for it. In Moldova, there are 54 diagnosed patients: 10 adults and 44 children. The disease causes a high degree of disability. Patients can live a full life only if they benefit of medical care that prevent the aggravation of the disease or ameliorate the symptoms. Experts estimate that the real number of people of cystic fibrosis in Moldova could be around 200, including those who aren’t diagnosed yet. In Europe, a person with cystic fibrosis can reach the age of 60. In Moldova, not long ago, the oldest patients were two young men aged 25. Recently, a 40 year old man has been diagnosed.