Pus: Diferenzas entre revisións

Pus consists of a thin, [[protein]]-rich fluid, known as ''liquor puris'', and dead [[leukocytes]] from the body's [[immune response]] (mostly [[neutrophils]]). During infection, [[macrophage]]s release [[cytokine]]s which trigger neutrophils to seek the site of infection by [[chemotaxis]]. There, the neutrophils engulf and destroy the bacteria and the bacteria resist the immune response by releasing toxins called [[leukocidin]]s.<ref name=Biology>Madigan, Michael T. and Martin, John M. Brock Biology of Microorganisms 11th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall. USA. 2006: 734</ref> As the neutrophils die off from toxins and old age, they are [[phagocytosis|destroyed]] by macrophages, forming the viscous pus.

 

 

Despite normally being of a whitish-yellow hue, changes in the color of pus can be observed under certain circumstances. Pus is sometimes green because of the presence of [[myeloperoxidase]], an intensely green antibacterial protein produced by some types of white blood cells. Green, foul-smelling pus is found in certain infections of ''[[Pseudomonas aeruginosa]]''. The greenish color is a result of the bacterial pigment [[pyocyanin]] that it produces. [[amoeba|Amoebic]] abscesses of the [[liver]] produce brownish pus, which is described as looking like "anchovy paste". Pus can also have a foul odor, particularly pus from anaerobic infections.<ref name="Topazian 2002">{{cite book|last=Topazian RG, Goldberg MH, Hupp JR|title=Oral and maxillofacial infections|year=2002|publisher=W.B. Saunders|location=Philadelphia|isbn=978-0721692715|pages=|edition=4}}</ref>