Rhinosporidiosis of the nose in the southern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic fungal infection caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi . It selectively strikes two target zones: nasal and conjunctival mucosae. Patients with nasal rhinosporidiosis usually present with nasal obstruction, discharge, epistaxis and mass lesions. This investigation presents the first indigenous case of tumoral rhinosporidiosis in the southern region (Assir province) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A 78-year-old male patient from a rural background of Assir region presented with epistaxis, nasal obstruction, discharge and a polympoid mass. The patient had not traveled abroad. Diagnosis was established on the morphological ground by the identification of l5- to 10-micron endospores and 50- to 1,000-micron sporangia. The morphologic features were examined using histochemical stains. The relevant monographs and case reports are discussed.