Histopathological and Histochemical study of atrophic stage of rhinoscloroma

Scleroma IS a disease of world wide distribution and Egypt isconsidered one of its main five foci. In Egypt the disease is speciallyprevalent in Sha r kia ,This work is done to throw lights on the histopathological andhistochemical findings of at rophic stage of rhinoscleroma whetherthey are treated either medically or by irradiation or not treatedbefore.We had found that the disease was most commonly seen in theearly productive period of life in the 11 - 40 years age group (95%of cases). Their were female sex prepondrance (65% of cases) andalmost always in the lower income groups with poor health habits.Clinically we found that the nose was affected in 100% ofcases, pharynx in 30% of cases while the larynx was affected in 15%of cases.The histological features: Some cases showed columnar nonciliated epithelium but most cases showed atrophic mucosa and meta-plasia. The glands varied from hyperplastic to atrophic, this In theuntreated cases. In the medically treated cases there were increasein cases with columnar non ciliated epithelium but other still showedatrophic mucosa and metaplasia. The glands were within normal shape,in about 40% of cases the other were varied from hyperplastic toat rophic glands. The irradiated cases showed at rophic mucosa andat rophic gland.