Common causes in around half of all cases of bronchiectasis, no obvious cause can be found.
These are some of the more common triggers that have been identified.
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Childhood infections: Around 1 in 3 cases of bronchiectasis in adults are associated with a severe lung infection in childhood, such as:
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Severe pneumonia
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Whooping cough
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Tuberculosis (TB)
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Measles
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Cystic fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder, where the lungs become clogged up with mucus. The mucus then provides an ideal environment for a bacterial infection to take place, leading to the symptoms of bronchiectasis
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Cilia abnormalities: Cilia are the tiny hair-like structures that line the airways in the lungs. They're designed to protect the airways and help move away any excess mucus.
Bronchiectasis can develop if there's a problem with the cilia that means they're unable to effectively clear mucus from the airways.
Conditions that can cause problems with the cilia include:
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Young's syndrome – a rare condition only affecting males thought to be caused by exposure to mercury in childhood
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Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia – a rare condition caused by inheriting faulty genes
Connective Tissue Diseases
Certain conditions that cause inflammation in other areas of the body are sometimes associated with bronchiectasis.
These include:
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Rheumatoid arthritis
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Sjögren's syndrome
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Crohn's disease
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Ulcerative colitis
These conditions are usually thought to be caused by a problem with the immune system, where it mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.