Infectious and nutritional mechanisms in children with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a polymorphic disease characterized by severe genetic dysfunctions. Besides the complex genetic background, most patients with cystic fibrosis also have increased susceptibility to infections and and their nutritional status is affected. Chronic pulmonary infection and gastrointestinal or nutritional abnormalities are characteristics of this disorder. Of our selected 56 subjects, 21.28% presented a pulmonary condition, and 28.57% digestive deregulation. We also observed that the infectious status in cystic fibrosis was dominated by respiratory infections (71.42%), and the main pathogens were Streptococcus. pneumoniae, Haemophilus. influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus. Additionally, it seems that while pulmonary function is strongly linked with adequate nutrition and weight gain, monitoring weight and pulmonary function are fundamental aspects in understanding the mechanisms of cystic fibrosis, and a very important parameter for a better management of this disorder. Early identification of nutrition and infectious risk factors is necessary for the effective and timely interventions that can have a positive impact on disease outcome. Infectious and nutritional aspects and interactions between the two are described. It is expected that management of cystic fibrosis will significantly improve.