What follows the stage of red hepatization in pneumonia?

The stage that follows red hepatization in pneumonia is gray hepatization. In the progression of lobar pneumonia, red hepatization is characterized by a solid, liver-like consistency of the lung due to a dense accumulation of red blood cells, fibrin, and neutrophils in the alveolar spaces. Following this stage, the immune response evolves, leading to a transition where the red blood cells begin to break down and the area becomes populated with macrophages and other cells, resulting in the grayish appearance that characterizes gray hepatization. This stage indicates that the body is moving towards resolving the infection, as the debris from the red cells is being cleared out, and the inflammation is transitioning towards a healing phase.