Evolve Infectious Diseases Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Asthma is characterized by an abrupt onset of cough and wheezing due to hyperreactive airways and inflammation, which can be triggered by various factors such as allergens, respiratory infections, or environmental stimuli. In asthma, the smooth muscles around the airways contract, leading to narrowing of the airways. This response often results in sudden episodes of wheezing, which is a high-pitched whistling sound made while breathing, and can also be accompanied by coughing, particularly at night or early in the morning.

In contrast, chronic bronchitis tends to have a more gradual onset with a persistent productive cough and is typically associated with long-term irritation of the airways, often due to smoking or pollution. Pneumonia usually presents with more systemic symptoms like fever and chills, in addition to cough, but the cough often produces sputum and does not occur abruptly. Bronchiolitis is primarily seen in infants and young children, presenting with wheezing and difficulty breathing, but it is more commonly associated with viral infections and typically progresses following a viral upper respiratory infection rather than presenting abruptly.

Therefore, the defining features of asthma, particularly the abrupt nature of cough and wheezing, make it the correct answer for this question.