Abstract
Epidemiology and histopathology of rhinosporidiosis in Western Kenya are reported. During the period of six years, 1979 to 1984, we found 10 cases of rhinosporidiosis out of 18, 969 surgical specimens in Western Kenya (Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Provinces). The disease was mostly confined to young generations. Mostly affected site of the infection was the nostril, followed by the bulbar conjunctiva. Nyanza Province and the central area of Rift Valley Province were highly infected. All patients came from agricultural areas. Histologically the disease showed characteristic appearances. The various stages in the life cycle of fungal cells were found in the subepithelial connective tissues which was covered by papillomatous hyperplasia of the mucosal epithelium and accompanied with relatively scant inflammatory cell infiltration in spite of huge number of fungal cells. These findings suggest that rhinosporidiosis is one of the unique fungal diseases showing characteristic histological features. And possible source of the infection was discussed.
