A nurse is assessing a newborn with an infection due to Candida albicans. Which assessment data support this diagnosis?

Question

A nurse is assessing a newborn with an infection due to Candida albicans.  Which assessment data support this diagnosis?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Manifestations of oral candidiasis (thrush) include white patches on the oral mucosa, palate, and tongue. The patches are nonremovable and tend to bleed when touched. The affected infant may have difficulty sucking or feeding due to the associated pain. Thrush is generally linked to antibiotic therapy or poor caregiver hand hygiene. The infection is usually self-limiting, but treatment with a fungicide (eg, nystatin) may hasten recovery. (Option A) Erythema toxicum neonatarum is characterized by firm, white or yellow papules or pustules surrounded by erythema. This idiopathic rash, which closely resembles flea bites, appears in the first few days after birth and resolves within 5-7 days. There are no additional systemic effects, and the rash requires no treatment. (Option B) Epstein pearls are small, white cysts found on the hard palate of newborns. These cysts are considered common findings, and they disappear a few weeks after birth. (Option C) Vesicular skin lesions could be from an infection caused by varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox) or Staphylococcus aureus (impetigo). These lesions are not associated with a fungal infection. Educational objective: Oral candidiasis (thrush) is a fungal infection. Manifestations include white patches on the oral mucosa, palate, and tongue, and difficulty sucking or feeding. The patches are nonremovable and tend to bleed when touched.

A Nurse Is Assessing a Newborn with an Infection Due