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Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic infection caused by the parasite Rhinosporidium seeberi, commonly found in standing water sources in Southern India and Sri Lanka. It presents as a gritty growth in the nasal cavity or around the eye and is treated with surgical removal. Recurrence rates are lower with wide excision and electrocoagulation.
Rhinosporidiosis is a relatively painless chronic infection that most commonly affects individuals who are from or have spent time in Southern India or Sri Lanka. The disease usually presents as a gritty growth, most often in the nasal cavity or the area around the eye. Surgical removal is the most common and successful treatment option.
Scientists and researchers believe that rhinosproidiosis is mainly caused by exposure to the parasite Rhinosproidium seeberi. This contact often occurs when individuals bathe in a standing water source that contains the parasite. Originally thought to be a fungus, Rhinosporidium seeberi is classified as an aquatic pest under the Mesomycetozoea category. There are other organisms in this same class that are known to cause similar infections in fish and amphibians.
The vast majority of reported cases have occurred in the southern parts of India and Sri Lanka. Many cases have also been found in Africa and South America. Less often, other cases have been reported worldwide, including cases in the southern United States and Asia.
Most of the time, rhinosporidiosis appears as a bumpy, almost wart-like growth inside the nose or in the outer area surrounding the eye. Some rare cases have been diagnosed in other parts of the body, such as the ear, rectum and genitals. In addition to the growth, other symptoms might include nosebleeds, nasal obstruction, runny nose, red eyes, and watery eyes. A feeling of a foreign sensation in the eye and coughing are among other possible symptoms. Secondary infections often occur in the affected areas due to rhinosporidiosis infection.
Rhinosporidiosis is a long-term infection. The condition is often present for many years or even decades. While pain is not commonly associated with rhinosporidiosis, sometimes infection leads to secondary infections which can be painful. Rarely, this infection has led to death, but the morbidity associated with this disease is usually caused by another infection, not rhinosporidiosis itself.
As of 2011, there was no standardized treatment for this disease. Few studies have been done to develop or discover a cure or treatment because researchers have had little success with the parasite in the laboratory. The most common treatment option for rhinosporidiosis is surgery.
Typically, surgeons will perform a surgical excision, or removal, of the growth. Recurrence rates tend to be higher when only basic local excision is performed. More often, doctors and patients choose a large excision procedure with electrocoagulation of the lesion base. The wide excision removes the entire growth and then electrocoagulation is used to kill the surrounding tissue. These types of procedures have seen the best results for removing the growth, with minimal cases of recurrence.
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