Nasal Infections

The nose may be infected by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. The most common nasal infections are viral, self-limited, and occur as part of the common cold. Acute bacterial infections are usually due to Staphylococcus aureus, a colonizer of the nares and nasal skin, and include cellulitis, vestibulitis, and septal abscess. All acute nasal bacterial infections require prompt treatment to prevent the rare but life-threatening complication of septic cavernous sinus thrombosis. Uncommon intranasal infections include tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis, ozena, rhinoscleroma, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, conidiobolomycosis, leishmaniasis, and rhinosporidiosis. Many of these infections are chronic or have a long latency prior to clinical manifestation. Therefore, a patient may present to an otolaryngologist practicing in a non-endemic region with a rare nasal infection acquired months or years earlier in an endemic region. This chapter reviews the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of bacterial, fungal, and parasitic nasal infections.