Rhinosporidiosis in Central India: A cross-sectional study from a tertiary care hospital in Chhattisgarh

Background and Aims: Chhattisgarh is an endemic region for rhinosporidiosis infection in Central India. This high prevalence can be explained by suitable hot tropical environment as well as social practice of common bathing of public with animals outdoor, mainly in ponds and river. There are more than 200 ponds in and around Bilaspur district, mainly in Ratanpur region. However, due to limited literature describing rhinosporidiosis from this part of India, it remains neglected and still not recognized as a serious health-care issue and any definite government or private measures/initiatives are not taken to counter this problem. Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective demographic study analyzing 113 consecutive biopsies received from different clinical departments in a tertiary care center with a histological diagnosis of rhinosporidiosis over a period of 7 years from January 2011 to December 2017. Results: Most of the patients presented in the otorhinolaryngology (86.7%) department, followed by ophthalmology (10.6%). The mean age of the patients was 23.4 years, with a range of 3–70 years. A male-to-female ratio of about 3:2 was noted. Nasal cavity was the most common site of involvement (90/113), followed by conjunctiva (7/113), nasal cavity with oropharynx (6/113), and eyelid (3/113). Patients' complaints showed a varying range from nasal block, nasal mass, bleeding, bleed on touch, difficulty in breathing, and conjunctival mass. Two of the cases presented as recurrent rhinosporidiosis. Conclusion: Rhinosporidiosis is endemic and possesses a great health-care burden in Chhattisgarh. The socioeconomic status, outdoor bathing, and cultural practice in rural areas are the major factors contributing to newer cases. An urgent government initiative to decontaminate public water bodies and public health education through health-care workers and nongovernment organizations is the need of the hour to curtail the incidence of rhinosporidiosis.