Rhinoscleroma, is a chronic granulomatous bacterial disease of the nose that can sometimes infect the upper respiratory tract.

Rhinoscleroma is considered a tropical disease and is mostly endemic to North Africa, South Asia and Central America, less common in the United States.

Diagnostic characteristics are most commonly found in the granulomatous stage and are described as being plasma cells with birefringent inclusions, Russell bodies, pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, and groups of large vacuolated histiocytes containing Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis (Mikulicz cells).

[2] However, if left untreated the disease can lead to sepsis, bleeding, or other chronic conditions that can be fatal.

Hans von Hebra (1847–1902) wrote the classical description of the disease in a paper published in the January 1870 issue of the Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift.

In 1882, Anton Von Frisch (1849–1917) discovered the gram-negative bacillus which causes the disease.