Inflammation is the body's response to injury, irritation, or infection.

• A. Pus
• B. Decontamination
• C. Inflammation
• D. Toxins

Answer: (C)

Inflammation is the body's protective response to injury, irritation, or infection. When tissue is damaged, chemical signals cause blood vessels to widen and become a bit leakier, bringing immune cells to the area. This leads to the familiar signs—redness and warmth from increased blood flow, swelling from fluid leakage, and often pain that helps safeguard the area and limit further harm. This response aims to contain the problem, fight off pathogens, and start healing.

Pus is not the inflammation itself; it’s a byproduct that can appear when infection is present, as immune cells and dead tissue accumulate. Decontamination refers to cleaning away contaminants, not the body’s reaction. Toxins are poisonous substances that can trigger inflammation but are not the body's inflammatory response. The statement correctly identifies inflammation as that protective reaction at the heart of the body's response to injury, irritation, or infection.