What Is the Most Common Cause of Bronchiectasis? Childhood infections However, in children, bronchiectasis is more common in boys than girls (Source: NHLBI). The following is a list of the most important and/or common ones. A cough is your body's way of getting rid of mucus build-up when your lungs cannot get rid of it on their own. See Additional Information. One is related to having cystic fibrosis (CF) and is known as … Your lungs are continually exposed to germs, so your body has sophisticated defence mechanisms designed to keep the lungs free of infection. However, there are six known causes of the disease: 1. CF is a progressive condition, which means it gets worse over time. How quickly bronchiectasis progresses can vary significantly. The most widely recognized reasons that can prompt non-CF Bronchiectasis are mentioned below: An abnormal working of the immune system; Past severe infections damaging the lungs If a foreign substance (such as bacteria or a virus) gets past these defences, your immune system will attempt to stop the spread of any infection by sending white blood cells to the location of the infection. If the lungs become infected again, this can result in further inflammation and further widening of the bronchi. The most common symptom of bronchiectasis is a persistent cough, which affects around 9 out of 10 people with the condition. Plus, bronchiectasis is a progressive disease just like COPD. Of course, it may also be due to the fact that COPD may cause bronchiectasis. lung disease & respiratory health centerTopic Guide. Some people with bronchiectasis develop the condition as a complication of an allergic condition known as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Some illnesses linked to bronchiectasis include: having had severe lung infections such as pneumonia, whooping cough or tuberculosis (TB) in … Less common symptoms of bronchiectasis include: coughing up a lot of blood ; chest pain and joint pain ; Cycle of infections. What Is the Most Common Cause of Bronchiectasis? A common genetic cause is cystic fibrosis, which affects chloride ion transport. Before antibiotics, life expectancy for patients with bronchiectasis was reduced, and most patients died within 5 years following the onset of symptoms. Bronchiectasis Causes Your bronchial walls can slowly get thicker because of inflammation and infections. In around half of all cases of bronchiectasis, no obvious cause can be found. In the primarily obstructive form of bronchiectasis, the patient commonly demonstrates ... ~ most common cause is pulmonary infection especially during early childhood. Immune disorders, such as human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), can also play a role in the development of bronchiectasis. Damage to the walls of the airways usually is the cause of bronchiectasis. Other common causes of bronchiectasis include: Cystic fibrosis is a relatively common genetic disorder, where the lungs become clogged up with mucus. The medical term for having a weakened immune system is immunodeficiency. Examples include: What Is The Role of The Immune Response and The Development of Bronchiectasis? Cilia are the tiny hair-like structures that line the airways in the lungs. Bronchiectasis is caused by the airways of the lungs becoming damaged and widened. There are many causes of bronchiectasis - some are acquired and others you may be born with (congenital). This can be the result of an infection or another condition, but sometimes the cause is not known. 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