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A white, milky, or opaque (mucoid) appearance means that antibiotics are less likely to be effective in treatment because the likelihood is greater of a viral infection or allergy than of antibiotic-responsive micro-organisms. Thickness may indicate asthma. Foamy white – may come from earlier-phase pulmonary edema.
Phlegm is more related to disease than mucus, and can be troublesome for the individual to excrete from the body. Phlegm is a thick secretion in the airway during disease and inflammation. Phlegm usually contains mucus with virus, bacteria, other debris, and sloughed-off inflammatory cells.
A sputum culture is a test to detect and identify bacteria [1] or fungi that infect the lungs or breathing passages. Sputum is a thick fluid produced in the lungs and in the adjacent airways. Normally, fresh morning sample is preferred for the bacteriological examination of sputum. [ 2 ]
“A productive cough is a cough that produces phlegm,” Dr. Youssef says. But a non-productive cough is more dry, says John M. Coleman III, M.D., a pulmonary and critical care specialist with ...
Legionnaires' disease is a form of atypical pneumonia caused by any species of Legionella bacteria, [3] quite often Legionella pneumophila.Signs and symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle pains, and headaches. [2]
Elevated white blood cell count may suggest a non-cardiogenic cause such as sepsis or infection. [12] B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is available in many hospitals, sometimes even as a point-of-care test. Low levels of BNP (<100 pg/ml) suggest a cardiac cause is unlikely, and suggest noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. [3]
Symptoms of DPB include chronic sinusitis (inflamed paranasal sinuses), wheezing, crackles (respiratory sounds made by obstructions such as phlegm and secretions in the lungs), dyspnea (shortness of breath), and a severe cough that yields large amounts of sputum (coughed-up phlegm). There may be pus in the sputum, and affected individuals may ...
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