You are studying for your NCLEX exams with a group of friends. Each of you presents a case study to the other students in your group. Your friend Sue gives the following information in her case study: the patient is a child, who presents with a high fever (41 o C) and a rash. The parents report that three days prior to the onset of the rash, the child had a runny nose, diarrhea, and conjunctivitis, all of which they thought indicated influenza. The child has not received any of the common recommended vaccines because until recently, he had been receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia that was diagnosed at 9 months.
-Your patient comments that she has noticed the same signs and symptoms on her grandmother who has Alzheimer's diasese and who uses adult diapers. She asks you whether it is possible that her grandmother also has a Candida infection. You tell her
A) No. Candida is part of the skin normal microbiota of infants only. This organism is never present on the skin of older adults.
B) Yes. Candida is present among the skin normal microbiota and may cause infection in anyone who wears a diaper, regardless of age.
C) No. Older adults have an exceptionally strong immune system and so are unlikely to develop a fungal skin infection.
D) Yes. The older an individual gets, the more Candida cells accumulate on their skin, so it is only a matter of time before the person develops a skin infection.
E) No. Older adults have extremely oily skin. Sebum (skin oil) has natural antifungal properties, so the chances of an adult developing a fungal infection are very small.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Candida is a part of the normal skin microbiota and can cause infection in individuals who wear diapers, regardless of age. Age does not affect the presence or absence of Candida on the skin. However, immune system strength can be weakened in older adults, making them more susceptible to infections.

You Are Studying for Your NCLEX Exams with a Group