Caption

Acute bronchitis. Bronchoscope view of the two bronchi at the bottom of the windpipe (trachea) of a patient with acute bronchitis. The mucosal lining of these airways is inflamed and coated with a thick secretion called sputum. Acute bronchitis (temporary inflammation of the bronchi) causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and a persistent cough with yellow-green sputum. It most often occurs after a cold or 'flu, and is common in smokers and the elderly. The condition usually clears up spontaneously, but may be treated with antibiotics if bacterial infection is suspected. A bronchoscope is a fibre-optic viewing device that is inserted in the windpipe to study the bronchi.