A vaginal wet mount, also called a vaginal smear or wet mount preparation is a gynaecologic test to find the cause of vaginitis, or inflammation of the vagina and the area around the vagina. A common cause for vaginitis is yeast infection. A vaginal yeast infection is caused by a type of yeast called Candida albicans. A yeast infection is also called a candida infection, or candidiasis. This infection often causes itching and a white, lumpy discharge that looks like cottage cheese. Other causes of vaginitis could be trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis, which can also be detected by the wet mount.