Data are presented as n, n (%), median (interquartile range) or mean±sd, unless otherwise stated. COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CCF: congestive cardiac failure; IHD: ischaemic heart disease; RHD: rheumatic heart disease; HTLV-1: human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1; PVL: pro-viral load; PBL: peripheral blood leukocyte; LRTI: lower respiratory tract infection; ICU: intensive care unit. ^#: any history of tobacco smoking recorded in medical records; ^¶: any history of harmful alcohol use recorded in medical records; ⁺: history of COPD recorded in case notes with chest radiography findings consistent with this diagnosis (prior to bronchiectasis diagnosis for cases); ^§: clinical diagnosis of asthma recorded in case notes with an increased forced expiratory volume in 1 s >12% and >200 mL after administration of bronchodilators; ^ƒ: stage ≥2; ^##: HTLV-1 Western blot or HTLV-1c PCR positive; ^¶¶: prior to diagnosis for cases and to time of recruitment for controls; ⁺⁺: admission for any reason; ^§§: admission for LRTI; ^ƒƒ: LRTI due to severe pneumonia, severe bronchiolitis or tuberculosis at any age (see Methods).