What is meant by pus in the lungs?
When pus occurs in the lungs, it can have various causes. In the case of bronchitis or pneumonia, pus can occur in the lungs, which can be coughed up in the form of yellowish sputum. It is also possible that pus develops in the context of a necrotic form of pneumonia and collects in an encapsulated cavity in the lung tissue in the sense of a lung abscess.
Causes- What causes pus in the lungs?
Pus, which is also called pus in medical terms, is a biological degradation product. Pus formation is usually triggered by a bacterial infection. It is caused by the death of white blood cells (leukocytes), which play an important role in the immune system, and autolysis (melting of tissue).
Leukocytes have an important task in the human immune system, in that they can differentiate between the body’s own and foreign structures, form antibodies if necessary or absorb (phagocytize) foreign structures. In this way, a more specific immune response of the body is also initiated. The number of white blood cells can be increased or decreased depending on the situation.
Because of this important task, the number of leukocytes is an important indication of the presence of an inflammation or infection. Autolysis is the melting of tissue, i.e. the destruction of cells that have either already died or are no longer needed by the body. Due to this mode of formation, pus consists mainly of proteins and so-called cell waste.
In addition to the inflammatory diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract already mentioned, such as bronchitis, pneumonia and also lung abscess, other clinical pictures can be the cause of pus in the lungs. It is also possible that a lung abscess develops without the presence of pneumonia. Furthermore, in patients with bronchiectasis, pus accumulation in the lungs often occurs in these irreversible bulges of the large bronchi.
Likewise, pus can accumulate in the existing cavity between the lung and the chest (so-called pleural gap) – this is then called pleural empyema. Although it is not directly located in the lung, it can also lead to lung-associated and generally severe disease symptoms. This topic might also be of interest to you: Signs of pneumonia
