n :  a common disease esp. in Caucasian populations that appears usu. in early childhood, is inherited as a recessive monogenic trait, involves functional disorder of the exocrine glands, and is marked esp. by faulty digestion due to a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, by difficulty in breathing due to mucus accumulation in airways, and by excessive loss of salt in the sweat - called also fibrocystic disease of the pancreas , mucoviscidosis  .
 
 
 
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