- aphtha
- 1. In the singular, a small ulcer on a mucous membrane. 2. In the plural, stomatitis charactized by intermittent episodes of painful oral ulcers of unknown etiology that are covered by gray exudate, are surrounded by an erythematous halo, and range from several millimeters to 2 cm in diameter; they are limited to oral mucous membranes that are not bound to periosteum, occur as solitary or multiple lesions, and heal spontaneously in 1–2 weeks. SYN: aphthae minor, aphthous stomatitis, canker sores, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, recurrent aphthous ulcers, recurrent ulcerative stomatitis, ulcerative stomatitis. [G. ulceration]- Bednar aphthae traumatic ulcers located bilaterally on either side of the midpalatal raphe in infants.- herpetiform aphthae a variant of oral aphthae, of unknown etiology, characterized by up to several dozen ulcers, 2–3 mm in diameter, organized in a clustered herpetiform distribution.- aphthae major a severe form of aphthae characterized by unusually numerous, large, deep, and frequent ulcers; healing may take as long as 6 weeks and results in scarring. SYN: Mikulicz aphthae, periadenitis mucosa necrotica recurrens, recurrent scarring aphthae, Sutton disease.
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1) a speck, flake, or blister on the mucous membranes (as in the mouth or gastrointestinal tract or on the lips) characteristic of some diseases (as thrush)2) one of the vesicles filled with clear serous fluid that occur in the mouth, on the udder, and in the spaces between the digits of cloven-footed animals in some diseases usu. used in pl.3) a disease (as foot-and-mouth disease) characterized by aphthaeaph·thic -thik adj* * *
aph·tha (afґthə) pl. aphґthae [L., from Gr. “thrushâ€] a small ulcer, such as the round lesion with a grayish exudate surrounded by a red halo characteristic of recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
Multiple aphthae in aphthous stomatitis.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
