Pathology · single question
A patient presents with hairy tongue. What is the best diagnostic method to confirm the causative organism?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Culture and sensitivity
- A. Incorrect. Excisional biopsy is used for definitive removal of discrete lesions, not hairy tongue diagnosis.
- B. Incorrect. Incisional biopsy is not first-line for hairy tongue, which has a distinct clinical appearance.
- C. CORRECT. Hairy tongue (lingua villosa) is diagnosed clinically and confirmed with culture and sensitivity to identify the causative organism (most commonly Candida species or bacterial overgrowth). Culture guides targeted treatment selection.
- D. Incorrect. Immunofluorescence is used for immune-mediated vesiculobullous conditions (pemphigus, lichen planus), not hairy tongue.