Affects: Cats, Dogs
Rhinosporidiosis is an infection caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi.
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%
Diagnosis: History
Unilateral nasal obstruction
Epistaxis
Treatment: Surgical excision - wide excision with wide area electro-coagulation of the lesion base
Medical treatment is not so effective but treatment with a year-long course of dapsone has been reported
Recurrence is common