What role does your mucous have when you’re sick.

Question

I currently have covid. I was wondering why the mucous has different colors and what is it’s role in the infection process.

In: 59

Answer 1

In a nutshell, mucus traps foreign particles, including pathogens, so they don’t get further into the respiratory tract. The mucus along with trapped particles is then wafted by tiny hairlike structures on the respiratory tract surface towards the throat where it can be swallowed.

Mucus secretion increases in respiratory infections to limit the infection and prevent it from spreading further into the respiratory tract. In a way, the increased secretion also benefits the contagion. The high concentration of the pathogen trapped in the mucus means it gets a better chance of spreading when the infected person coughs or sneezes.

Colors in mucus can result from things like blood leaking from damaged capillaries (red/brown), dead white blood cells from fighting an infection (green/yellow) or smoke inhalation (black).