Sputum
Current as of: June 9, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Adam Husney, MD – Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD – Internal Medicine
Sputum is a thick fluid that is produced in the lungs and in the airways that lead to the lungs. Sputum is different than saliva. A person who has an infection or disease of the respiratory system may cough up sputum. Some diseases can cause pus, blood, or bacteria to show up in the sputum.