A generalized disorder of infants, children and young adults, in which there is widespread dysfunction of the exocrine glands, characterized by signs of chronic pulmonary disease (due to excess mucus production in the respiratory tract), pancreatic deficiency, abnormally high levels of electrolytes in the sweat, and occasionally by biliary cirrhosis (a rare form of liver disease which results in the irreversible destruction of the liver and bile ducts).