Question
A one-year-old child was found to have a bean-sized white bump on their throat. The doctor initially diagnosed it as a viral infection and provided anti-inflammatory treatment, but the bump still persists. The doctor is also puzzled by this. What could this be a symptom? We are eagerly seeking some predictions from experts.
Answer
The symptoms you described could be herpangina, a mucosal infection disease caused by Coxsackievirus A4, characterized by clusters of small blisters in the oral cavity, mainly confined to the posterior part of the mouth. Most cases can be diagnosed based on clinical presentation. Laboratory tests, including virus culture, fluorescent labeling or enzyme labeling of monoclonal antibody staining, in situ nucleic acid hybridization, and PCR detection of viral DNA, can be used for final confirmation. Wishing your child a speedy recovery!