Changes in the pattern of rhinoscleroma in Egypt: updated experience.

Abstract

This study aimed to record recent changes in the incidence and clinical and histopathological patterns of rhinoscleroma in the middle of Nile Delta in Egypt. Twenty-eight patients with rhinoscleroma were included in this study. Patients who were attending the Department of Otolaryngology at Tanta University Hospitals from January 2014 to January 2019 were included. Cases were diagnosed by clinical, bacteriological and histopathological data. Nasal biopsies were taken for histopathological and electron microscopy studies. All patients received a twelve-week course of 500 mg ciprofloxacin tablets twice daily. The rate of rhinoscleroma was shown to be decreasing compared with previous studies. In this study, the disease mainly affected the nose without involvement of the palate, lips, Eustachian tube or bronchi. Histopathological and electron microscopy analyses showed that most cases were in the atrophic and fibrotic stages rather than the granulomatous stage of disease. The incidence of rhinoscleroma in Egypt is decreasing and its clinical and histopathological patterns are changing to less advanced forms. This may be explained by the improvement in socioeconomic conditions and methods of treatment.