How is the sputum of a viral infection different from the sputum of a bacterial infection?
A) Sputum production is greater with viral conditions than with bacterial infections.
B) The sputum is odorous in viral conditions and nonodorous in bacterial infections.
C) The sputum is yellow, green, or rust-colored in bacterial infections and mucoid in viral infections.
D) The sputum is much thinner in bacterial infections than in viral infections.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The characteristic most likely to differentiate viral sputum from bacterial sputum is the sputum's color. Viral infections typically produce mucoid sputum, whereas bacterial infections produce yellow, green, or rust-colored sputum.

How Is the Sputum of a Viral Infection Different from the Sputum