Micro & Immunology · patient case question
Which organism is responsible?
Patient case: Asthmatic man with white plaques on the tongue and buccal mucosa
Patient: Male, 41 years old
Chief complaint: “I'm here for a check up and I want a cleaning done today.”
Background: Asthma. Medication: beclomethasone dipropionate (Qvar®) inhaler.
Current findings: White plaques on the buccal mucosa and dorsal surface of the tongue. The plaques wipe away, leaving erythematous mucosa underneath.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Candida albicans
- A. CORRECT. Candida albicans is a commensal yeast that becomes pathogenic when local or systemic immunity is impaired — here by topical corticosteroid deposition.
- B. S. aureus is implicated in angular cheilitis alongside Candida, but not in pseudomembranous plaques.
- C. S. mutans is the principal cariogenic organism, unrelated to this lesion.
- D. EBV causes oral hairy leukoplakia and infectious mononucleosis.
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