Rhinoscleroma: A Rare Chronic Infectious Cause of Nasal Mass Lesions in the United States

Abstract

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic, progressive, granulomatous infection of the upper airways due to Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis. It is endemic to certain regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Central and South America, and Central and Eastern Europe but is rarely seen in the United States. We report the case of a 33-year-old man who presented with a 6-month history of progressive bilateral nasal obstruction that was unresponsive to medical therapy. The patient underwent surgical excision with histologic findings diagnostic of rhinoscleroma. Herein, we present this uncommon case, review the clinical and diagnostic features of rhinoscleroma, and discuss potential clinical and histologic mimics.