Abstract

Rhinosporidiosis, a chronic granulomatous infection that can be prevented and is mainly caused by community practices such as bathing in contaminated ponds, is endemic in places like Tamil Nadu, India. The treatment of a 10-year-old girl from Palakkad, Kerala, who presented with a reddish mass jutting from her left nasal cavity resulting in nasal obstruction and epistaxis, is detailed in this case report. Contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed a nasal mass with reduced central density was discovered at the inferior turbinate. An endoscopic nasal polypectomy with cauterization was performed. Rhinosporidiosis with distinctive sporangia was confirmed by histopathological examination. The higher prevalence of Rhinosporidium seeberi in neighbouring Tamil Nadu raises the possibility of exposure through pond bathing, even though Palakkad’s ponds are not officially recognized as reservoirs for the disease. This case emphasizes the preventable nature of rhinosporidiosis and the effectiveness of combined surgical and medical management through public health initiatives in endemic areas.

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