What condition is characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes?

The condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes is acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis often follows a respiratory infection such as a cold or the flu and is primarily caused by viral infections. It presents with symptoms such as a cough that may produce mucus, wheezing, and sometimes a sore throat or fever.

In acute bronchitis, inflammation leads to swelling and increased mucus production in the airways, making it difficult to breathe and causing a persistent cough. This condition is typically short-term, lasting a few weeks, and usually resolves on its own.

Chronic bronchitis, while also involving inflammation of the bronchial tubes, is a long-term condition often associated with smoking or long-term exposure to irritants. Asthma is a condition characterized by the hyperreactivity of the airways rather than generic inflammation, and pneumonia is an infection of the lungs rather than the bronchial tubes specifically. This differentiation is important as the management and implications of each condition differ significantly.