Abstract

Rhinosporidiosis is an infection caused by "Rhinosporidium seeberi".

Classification

This organism was previously considered to be a fungus, and rhinosporidiosis is classified as a fungal disease under ICD-10.

It is now considered to be a protist classified under Mesomycetozoea.

Authors of detailed studies have revealed superficial similarities between "Dermocystidium" and "Rhinosporidium" when using light microscopy, but substantial morphological differences between the groups exist.

There is some evidence that DNA extracted from purified uncontaminated round bodies (Rhinosporidium seeberi) is of cyanobacterial origin.

Pathophysiology

Rhinosporidiosis is a granulomatous disease affecting the mucous membrane of nasopharynx, oropharynx, conjunctiva, rectum and external genitalia. Though the floor of the nose and inferior turbinate are the most common sites, the lesions may appear elsewhere too. Traumatic inoculation from one site to others is common. Laryngeal rhinosporidiosis, too, has been described and may be due to inoculation from the nose during endotracheal intubation. After inoculation, the organism replicates locally, resulting in hyperplasia of host tissue and localised immune response.

- infection of nose and nasopharynx - 70%

- infection of palpebral conjunctiva - 15%

Epidemiology

Disease endemic in Chhattisgarh South India, Sri Lanka, South America and Africa. It is presumed to be transmitted by exposure to the pathogen when taking a bath in stagnant water pools where animals also bathe.