AEMCA Practice Exam

Which condition is characterized by severe chest pain and a cough that produces rusty or green mucus?

1. Pneumonia

2. Bronchitis

3. Tuberculosis

4. Asthma

The correct answer is: Pneumonia

The condition characterized by severe chest pain and a cough that produces rusty or green mucus is pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. These air sacs can fill with fluid or pus, leading to symptoms such as cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. The presence of rusty or green mucus is particularly indicative, as it suggests that there may be bacterial involvement in the infection, which is common in certain types of pneumonia. Rusty sputum can occur due to the presence of blood in the mucus, often seen with infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, while green mucus may be associated with a variety of bacterial infections, indicating that the immune response is actively responding to the pathogens in the lungs. Other conditions listed, such as bronchitis, tuberculosis, and asthma, present with different main symptoms or characteristics. For example, bronchitis often includes a persistent cough but may not typically produce the specific rusty or green mucus associated with pneumonia. Tuberculosis can also cause a chronic cough and may produce blood-tinged sputum; however, the acute nature and severity of chest pain are more aligned with pneumonia. Asthma primarily involves wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest