Most cases of bronchiectasis occur in childhood secondary to a lower respiratory tract infection. This has become less common with the aggressive treatment of respiratory infections with antibiotics.
Bronchiectasis may occur due to defects of mucociliary clearance, as in cystic fibrosis, Kartagener's syndrome and congenital immunodeficiency. These conditions have become more significant causes of bronchiectasis as childhood suppurative disease becomes rarer.
Worldwide prevalence of the disease is unknown (1).
In the UK (2,3):
Reference:
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