The sensitivity of the test can vary with ethnic group. The following is a chart

Question

The sensitivity of the test can vary with ethnic group. The following is a chart from the NCBI Genetic testing site. A sensitivity less than 100% would be likely to produce false negative results from an inability to determine that someone is carrier.

CF Carrier Test Sensitivity by Ethnic Group
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/GeneTests/static/concepts/primer/ptscarr5.shtml

Ethnic Group 1

Population Frequency of CF

Sensitivity of Carrier Detection 2

Caucasian

1 in 29

90%

Ashkenazi Jewish

1 in 29

97%

Native American

1 in 32

94%

Latino

1 in 46

57%

African-American

1 in 60

75%

Asian

1 in 90

30%

Why might different ethnic populations differ in the ability of the genetic test to identify carriers of CF?

Explanation / Answer

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease meaning that the gene is located only on one of the autosome. An individual carrying only one of the recessive gene is called a "carrier". A person must inherit two non-functioning genes of CF, that is, one from the father and one from the mother in order to inherit the disease.

There is a variation in the genetic test between ethnic groups due to migrations,occuring, mutations and also due to genetic restructuring that occurs due to sexual reproduction.Thus, there may be many mutated forms of CF autosomal recessive disease that will give a negative result for the genetic test to identify carriers. So, different ethnic populations will inherit different mutated forms of the disease which will give a variation in the test to identify carriers for CF.

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