Characterization of Airway Mucus in Bronchiectasis Patients and Healthy Controls

In this study the investigators will investigate the mucus properties in individuals with idiopathic bronchiectasis and healthy individuals without a history of lung disease. In order to understand how mucus is abnormal in disease conditions, the investigators need to understand the mucus biochemical and biophysical properties in healthy individuals. In this study the investigators will prospectively recruit patients with bronchiectasis and healthy individuals from the community to provide airway sputum samples. In these samples the investigators will measure an array of mucus properties. This will help our understanding of the mucus-obstructive lung diseases and facilitate the development of appropriate and effective disease prevention strategies.

A key question is whether mucus is hyper-concentrated and has abnormal biophysical properties in individuals with mucus-obstructive lung disease. To answer this question, the investigators need to understand the properties of the mucus in individuals with idiopathic bronchiectasis and no history of lung disease. This study will allow us to collect airway mucus (sputum) from individuals with bronchiectasis and healthy individuals with no history of lung disease.