In a 2-month-old with thrush, which finding would be observed in the saliva?

Study for APEA Management EENT Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

In a 2-month-old with thrush, which finding would be observed in the saliva?

Explanation:
Candida infections in the mouth produce yeast forms that you can see on a smear. In an infant with thrush, exam of saliva after a KOH prep typically shows budding yeast cells along with slender pseudohyphae. Spores are not a characteristic feature of Candida in saliva. True hyphae can appear in tissues or cultures, but the common saliva finding is yeast with pseudohyphae. A positive KOH is a testing method indicating fungal elements are present, not a direct morphologic finding by itself, so the most specific observation in saliva is the yeast cells.

Candida infections in the mouth produce yeast forms that you can see on a smear. In an infant with thrush, exam of saliva after a KOH prep typically shows budding yeast cells along with slender pseudohyphae. Spores are not a characteristic feature of Candida in saliva. True hyphae can appear in tissues or cultures, but the common saliva finding is yeast with pseudohyphae. A positive KOH is a testing method indicating fungal elements are present, not a direct morphologic finding by itself, so the most specific observation in saliva is the yeast cells.

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