Bronchitis involves inflammation of which part of the respiratory system?

Bronchitis involves inflammation of which part of the respiratory system?

• A. Bronchial tubes
• B. Lungs
• C. Esophagus
• D. Pleura

Answer: (A)

Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air from the trachea into the lungs and branch through the lungs. When these airways become inflamed, their lining swells and mucus production increases, which narrows the passages and triggers a cough with mucus. This focus on the airways themselves is what defines bronchitis. The lungs refer to the lung tissue where gas exchange happens; inflammation there describes other conditions like pneumonia rather than bronchitis. The esophagus belongs to the digestive system, not the respiratory tract, so its inflammation isn’t bronchitis. The pleura are membranes surrounding the lungs; inflammation there is pleuritis, not bronchitis.

Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air from the trachea into the lungs and branch through the lungs. When these airways become inflamed, their lining swells and mucus production increases, which narrows the passages and triggers a cough with mucus. This focus on the airways themselves is what defines bronchitis.

The lungs refer to the lung tissue where gas exchange happens; inflammation there describes other conditions like pneumonia rather than bronchitis. The esophagus belongs to the digestive system, not the respiratory tract, so its inflammation isn’t bronchitis. The pleura are membranes surrounding the lungs; inflammation there is pleuritis, not bronchitis.