Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. It can be acute (often after a viral infection) or chronic (due to smoking or exposure to harmful factors).
Symptoms: cough, sputum discharge, sometimes shortness of breath. In most cases, acute bronchitis is of viral origin, so antibiotics are not always needed and are used as directed by a doctor. If shortness of breath increases, a high fever persists, or the cough does not go away for several weeks, a doctor’s assessment is needed to rule out pneumonia and other causes.