Rhinosporidiosis
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🌟 Rhinosporidiosis
Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that primarily affects mucous membranes.
What is Malignant Rhinosporidiosis?
🦠 Etiology of Rhinosporidiosis
- Causative agent: Rhinosporidium seeberi
What group of organism does Rhinosporidium seeberi belong to?
❗ Koch's Postulates – Why Rhinosporidiosis Defies Them
- Cannot be cultured in vitro ❌
- Cannot be transferred to animals ❌
What is another example of a disease that defies Koch's postulates?
🌍 Epidemiology of Rhinosporidiosis
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Common in: Southern India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, MP, Andhra Pradesh)
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Also reported in: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Africa, South America, North America, Europe, and Canada
Which disease of nose is more common in Northern India?
🔁 Life Cycle of Rhinosporidium seeberi
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Trophic Stage | Trophocyte (~6–8 µm), vesicular nucleus, divides to form endospores |
| Sporangium Development | Enlarges to 200–250 µm; contains ~12,000–16,000 endospores; thick chitinous and cellulose wall |
| Endospore Release | Burst or slow release via germinal pore; carried via lymphatics into bloodstream |
Describe the life cycle of Rhinosporidium seeberi.
💧 Mode of Transmission of Rhinosporidiosis
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Most common: Bathing in infected pond water 🛁
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Also via:
- Droplet infection from cattle dung dust
- Contact transmission through contaminated fingernails
🔬 Pathology of Rhinosporidiosis
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Highly vascular polypoidal mass
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Histopathology:
- Sporangia at various stages
- Mature sporangium: thick wall, apical pore, filled with endospores
📚 Classification of Rhinosporidiosis
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Benign | Localized to mucosal surfaces |
| Malignant | Disseminated/systemic form |
What is the most common site of involvement in Rhinosporidiosis?
👃 Clinical Features of Rhinosporidiosis
👤 Affected Population
- Age: 20–40 years
- Male predominance (4:1)
💬 Symptoms
- Nasal obstruction
- Blood-tinged nasal discharge
- Profuse epistaxis
- Post-nasal drip, sneezing, hypoosmia
🔎 Signs
- Pinkish, pedunculated mass with yellowish white granules
- Bleeds easily on touch
- Does not cross mucocutaneous junction
- Other mucosal sites: conjunctiva, lip, palate, larynx, vulva, etc.
Which fruit does the appearance of Rhinosporidiosis mass resemble?
What is the most common site of Rhinosporidiosis in the nose?
🧪 Investigations of Rhinosporidiosis
- Diagnostic Nasal Endoscopy (DNE) – identifies site of attachment
- Biopsy – confirmatory; shows characteristic sporangia
- CT PNS – to assess extent of disease
- Staining for parasite:
- Hatchkess-Machnann stain
- Romanovsky
- Bromophenol blue
- Sudan black
- Methyl green
What is the best stain for Rhinosporidium seeberi?
💊 Treatment of Rhinosporidiosis
🛠️ Primary: Surgical Excision
- Complete excision with cauterization of base
- Laser excision is an option
💊 Medical: Dapsone (used in systemic cases)
What is the dose of Dapsone used in Rhinosporidiosis?
What is the Mechanism of Action of Dapsone in treating Rhinosporidiosis?
🔁 Recurrence
- High recurrence even after excision
- Due to submucosal persistence
- Cauterization helps prevent recurrence
📝 Summary Table
| Feature | Rhinosporidiosis |
|---|---|
| Causative Agent | Rhinosporidium seeberi |
| Transmission | Bathing in ponds, droplets, contact |
| Pathology | Vascular polyps with sporangia |
| Appearance | Strawberry appearance |
| Treatment | Surgical excision ± Dapsone |
| Recurrence | High unless cauterized |
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