Which condition might lead to blood-streaked sputum?

Blood-streaked sputum, also known as hemoptysis, can be a sign of several underlying respiratory conditions, with tuberculosis often being one of the more significant and concerning causes. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other areas of the body. As the disease progresses, it can lead to the formation of cavities or lesions in lung tissue, which may result in the erosion of blood vessels, leading to coughing up blood-streaked sputum.

In contrast, chronic bronchitis, while it can produce sputum, typically does not present with marked hemoptysis and instead results in a chronic cough with sputum that is usually clear or yellowish. The common cold, primarily a viral infection, generally leads to mild respiratory symptoms without significant hemoptysis. Similarly, pneumonia can cause cough and sputum production, often with purulent or colored sputum, but significant blood-streaked sputum is less typical unless there are specific complications or severe cases leading to vessel involvement.

Therefore, due to its specific association with cavitary lesions and the resultant bleeding, tuberculosis is the condition among the options provided that is most likely to lead to blood-streak