Which term describes inflammation of the bronchi?

• A. Atelectasis
• B. COPD
• C. Bronchitis
• D. Asthma

Answer: (C)

Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi, the airways that carry air from the trachea into the lungs. When the lining of these passages becomes inflamed, it swells and produces more mucus, which leads to coughing and often chest congestion or wheezing. This inflammation can be acute—often following a viral infection—or chronic, which is frequently linked to long-term irritation such as smoking and is a component of chronic obstructive lung disease.

Atelectasis is the collapse of part or all of a lung, usually due to blockage of airways or pressure on the lung, not primarily an inflammatory process of the bronchi.

COPD describes a group of chronic lung diseases with persistent airflow limitation, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema; it’s not a single inflammatory condition of the bronchi.

Asthma is a separate chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by reversible obstruction and hyperresponsiveness; while inflammation is a feature, it does not specifically denote inflammation of the bronchi alone.

So the term for inflammation of the bronchi is bronchitis.