- Pulmonary tuberculosis commonly presents with cough and hemoptysis due to the erosion of caseating granulomas into pulmonary blood vessels, leading to bleeding.
- The persistent productive cough results from lung tissue destruction and cavitation.
- Hemoptysis in tuberculosis is often a sign of active disease or complications like bronchiectasis or vascular involvement.
- Other options like asthma and congestive heart failure may cause cough but rarely lead to hemoptysis.
- Chronic bronchitis results in sputum production but significant hemoptysis is uncommon.

Therefore, the presence of hemoptysis with cough is most characteristic of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Reference: Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine, 24th Edition, Chapter: Tuberculosis, Page 758.