Epidemiology and natural history of airway infections in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

The natural history and epidemiology of infections in non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis is not well understood. As such it was our intention to determine the evolution of airway infection and the transmission potential of in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted from 1986-2011 using a biobank of prospectively collected isolates from patients with non-CF bronchiectasis.