<unk>  can be (when examined by the naked eye): * Bloody (hemoptysis) * Blood-streaked<unk>  –an indicator of possible inflammation of throat (larynx and/or trachea) or bronchi; lung cancer; other bleeding erosions, ulcers, or tumors of the lower airway. * Pink<unk>  – indicates<unk>  evenly mixed with blood from alveoli and/or small peripheral bronchi as is seen in potential pulmonary edema. * Massive blood –indicator of possible cavitary tuberculosis or tumor such as lung cancer, or lung abscess; bronchiectasis; lung infarction; pulmonary embolism. * Red, jelly-like<unk>  - an indicator of possible pneumonia caused by Klebsiella. * Green or greenish colored - indicative of potential longstanding respiratory infection (green from degenerative changes in cell debris) as in pneumonia, ruptured lung abscess, chronic infectious bronchitis, and infected bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis. * Rust colored – usually caused by pneumococcal bacteria (in pneumonia), pulmonary embolism, lung cancer or pulmonary tuberculosis. * Brownish –potential indicator of chronic bronchitis (greenish/yellowish/brown); chronic pneumonia (whitish-brown); tuberculosis; lung cancer. * Yellow, yellowish purulent – indicator of sample containing pus. "The<unk>  color of patients with acute cough and no underlying chronic lung disease does not imply therapeutic consequences such as prescription of antibiotics." The color can provide hints as to effective treatment in chronic bronchitis patients: * A yellow-greenish (mucopurulent) color suggests that treatment with antibiotics can reduce symptoms. The green color is caused by degenerating neutrophil verdoperoxidase. * Whitish gray<unk>  color against a white color background (such as a white sink surface) tends to indicate either a specimen from someone who is dehydrated, and/or from an older person, and/or a specimen with a mixed, modest number of eosinophils and maybe some acute inflammatory neutrophil cells (this last choice tends to suggest a chronic allergic bronchitis). * A white, milky, or opaque (mucoid) appearance means that antibiotics are less likely to be effective in treatment because the likelihood is greater of a viral infection or allergy (even asthma...thick<unk>  than of antibiotic-responsive micro-organisms. * Foamy white – may come from earlier-phase pulmonary edema. * Frothy pink – may indicate more severe pulmonary edema. Antibiotics may not be necessary at this time. * Clear – pulmonary embolism (clear to frothy); COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (clear to gray); viral respiratory infection (clear to whitish and sometimes a hint of yellow); asthma (thick and white to yellowish).
Sputum
Exudate
Transudate
Bottled gas
Tear gas
Breathing gas
Blood
Biological specimen