Acute Bronchitis
Medical Author:
Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Medical Editor:
Charles C. P. Davis, MD, PhD
Bronchitis and the Flu
What to Do if You Get the Flu
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Influenza, or the "flu," is an illness of the breathing
system (respiratory system) and muscles caused by a virus. While a vaccine is
available to prevent the flu, its effectiveness varies according to the degree
of match between the viral strains used to prepare the vaccine and those strains
actually in circulation in a given year. Not everyone receives the flu vaccine, and even
some of those who do can develop symptoms of the flu.
Mild cases of the flu may seem like common colds. But most cases of the flu
can be distinguished from colds because the symptoms (cough, muscle aches and
pains, sore throat, fatigue, and headache)
are more severe than those of the common cold. Flu symptoms also tend to occur suddenly and include high fevers
(temperatures of 101 F or more). In children, fevers are typically even
higher than those in adults.
Read more about what do to if you get the flu »
What is acute bronchitis?
Air is pulled into the lungs when we breathe, initially passing through the mouth,
nose, and larynx (voicebox) into the trachea and continues en route to each lung
via either the right or left bronchi (the bronchial tree
- bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli). Bronchi are formed as the lower part of the
trachea divides into two tubes that lead to the lungs. As the bronchi get farther away
from the trachea, each bronchial tube divides and gets smaller (resembling an
inverted tree) to provide the air to lung tissue so that it can transfer oxygen
to the blood stream and remove carbon dioxide (the waste product of metabolism).
Bronchitis describes inflammation of
the bronchial tubes (inflammation = itis). The inflammation causes swelling of
the lining of these breathing tubes, narrowing the tubes and promoting secretion
of inflammatory fluid.
Acute bronchitis describes the inflammation of the
bronchi usually caused by a viral infection, although bacteria and chemicals
also may cause acute bronchitis. Bronchiolitis is another form of acute
bronchitis that occurs in infants, usually caused by respiratory syncytial
viruses (RSV), and affects
the small bronchi and bronchioles more than the large.
Acute bronchitis is not a cold,
laryngitis, or croup. Colds are infections of the mouth and nose (upper
respiratory infection) and can cause a
runny nose, stuffiness, and
sore throat. Infection or
inflammation of the larynx is called
laryngitis and is
accompanied with hoarseness or
lost voice. Croup is the equivalent of laryngitis in infants and young children.
Chronic bronchitis is defined as a
cough with sputum production for at least
three months, two years in a row. Chronic bronchitis is a diagnosis made on
clinical findings, microscopic evaluation of tissue samples, pulmonary function
testing, chest X-ray, and
CT or MRI of the lungs. It is one type of COPD
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and may result in emphysema (air trapped
in the lung tissue).
What causes acute bronchitis?
- Acute bronchitis occurs most often due to a viral infection that causes the
inner lining of the bronchial tubes to become inflamed and undergo the changes
that occur with any inflammation in the body. Common viruses include the
rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the
influenza virus.
- Bacteria
(for example, Mycoplasma) can also cause bronchitis.
- Chemical
irritants (for example, tobacco smoke,
gastric reflux, solvents) can cause acute
bronchitis.
What are the risk factors for acute bronchitis?
Bronchitis describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Smoking is a key
risk factor for developing acute bronchitis. Any other illnesses that predispose
to similar inflammation also increase that risk (for example,
asthma patients
and patients allergic to airborne chemicals).
Next: What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis? »
- cefdinir, Omnicef - Explains the medication cefdinir (Omnicef), a drug used to treat infections such as middle ear, tonsillitis, strep throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, and skin and soft tissue.
- Pneumococcal Vaccination - Learn about pneumococcal vaccination (pneumonia vaccine) recommendations and side effects, and find out who should and should not be vaccinated.
- Lung Cancer - Get the facts on lung cancer treatment, diagnosis, staging, causes (smoking), types (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell), prevention, symptoms, warning signs and survival rates.
Latest Medical News
Lungs RSS