A new screening scheme for babies that will ensure early detection of cystic fibrosis is launched this week in Scotland after years of campaigning by a doctor at the University of Dundee with support from his Scottish colleagues.
Dr Anil Mehta says that under the new screening scheme financed by the Scottish Executive, cystic fibrosis will be spotted on day five of a baby's life allowing for early preventative treatment to begin within four weeks.
He explains: "Treatments are now so effective that if we catch cystic fibrosis in the first month of life, we can start treating the babies before the symptoms show."
Dr Mehta says that previously cystic fibrosis was only spotted when parents took their infants to the GP. He says: "Often cystic fibrosis wasn't diagnosed until the child was over a year old and in many cases, the GP was unable to identify cystic fibrosis from the symptoms. This new screening, for which we have lobbied for years, will be a vast improvement for children's health in Scotland."
Cystic fibrosis is a disease which affects the lining cells of the body. Lungs can clog with mucus and the disease can cause diabetes in childhood. One in 25 people carry the gene for cystic fibrosis and if both parents are carriers, the risk for the baby is rapidly increased such that a quarter of children will be affected.
The screening will consist of a blood test for every baby in Scotland when they are five days old. Dr Mehta explains: "One in every 2,500 babies have cystic fibrosis. Approximately 200 babies are born in Scotland every day so we estimate that we will pick up a case of cystic fibrosis every 10-15 days allowing us to give parents early warning and start treatment as soon as possible."
The second exciting innovation to come from Dr Mehta's team is the development of a life long database to track the progress of this disease in such infants (www.cystic-fibrosis.org.uk). This database is implemented and run for the whole of the UK from the multi-million pound facility in the newly completed Tayside Institute of Child Health at the University of Dundee. The database is also being used in South Africa to help CF sufferers in this developing nation.
Contact Dr Anil Mehta 01382 660111 ext 32555
By Jenny Marra, Press Officer 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk