What type of infection is characterized by the presence of pus?

The answer is based on the fact that bacterial infections are commonly recognized for producing pus. When bacteria invade tissues, the body’s immune response includes the accumulation of white blood cells, dead bacteria, and tissue cells, which collectively form pus. This is often seen in conditions like abscesses or infected wounds where localized areas of tissue become inflamed and filled with this thick fluid.

In contrast, viral infections typically do not result in pus formation; instead, they often lead to symptoms like fever, fatigue, and inflammation but lack the localized collection of pus. Fungal infections may cause various symptoms, and while they can lead to inflammation and irritation, they do not typically produce pus in the same manner as bacterial infections. Parasitic infections can present with a wide range of symptoms depending on the type of parasite involved, but they are also not specifically characterized by pus production. Thus, the defining characteristic of pus presence aligns specifically with bacterial infections.