National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Malakoplakia


Other Names:
Malacoplakia
Categories:
Malakoplakia is a rare chronic inflammatory disease. It most commonly involves the urogenital system (reproductive organs and urinary system), but may also be found in other regions of the body, including the pelvis, bones, lungs, thyroid gland, gastrointestinal (digestive) tract, skin, and kidneys. Symptoms of malakoplakia differ depending on the involved area. For example, when the skin is affected the malakoplakia may appear rash-like with small areas of itchy, reddened skin that may be painful and/or fluid filled.[1][2]

The cause of malakoplakia is not well understood. It is thought to be related to an issue with the function of one's macrophages, which are one type of cell within the immune system that respond to foreign invaders (bacteria). E.coli is the most common type of bacteria that leads to malakoplakia. Individuals with a compromised immune system have an elevated risk to develop malakoplakia. Treatment typically begins with antibiotics.[1][2]
Last updated: 8/17/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain
Pain in stomach
Stomach pain
[ more ] 		0002027
Abnormal bleeding
Bleeding tendency
0001892
Abnormality of the menstrual cycle 0000140
Diarrhea
Watery stool
0002014
Dysuria
Painful or difficult urination
0100518
Fever 0001945
Hematuria
Blood in urine
0000790
Papule 0200034
Proteinuria
High urine protein levels
Protein in urine
[ more ] 		0000093
Pruritus
Itching
Itchy skin
Skin itching
[ more ] 		0000989
Skin rash 0000988
Skin ulcer
Open skin sore
0200042
Subcutaneous nodule
Firm lump under the skin
Growth of abnormal tissue under the skin
[ more ] 		0001482
Urinary bladder inflammation 0100577
Urinary hesitancy
Difficulty with flow
0000019
Urinary urgency
Overactive bladder
0000012
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Follicular hyperplasia 0002729
Immunodeficiency
Decreased immune function
0002721
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of the neck 0000464
Abnormality of the tongue
Abnormal tongue
Tongue abnormality
[ more ] 		0000157
Chest pain 0100749
Cough
Coughing
0012735
Neoplasm of the colon
Colon tumor
0100273
Neoplasm of the rectum
Rectal tumor
0100743
Orchitis
Inflammation of testicles
0100796
Prostate neoplasm 0100787
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Last updated: 7/1/2020
The cause of malakoplakia is unknown, but is thought to be associated with immunodeficiency or autoimmune disorders, such as hypogammaglobinlinemia, therapies that suppress the immune system, cancer, a chronic debilitating disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and AIDS.[3]
Last updated: 8/17/2016

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Depending on the organ involved, differential diagnoses include primary or metastatic malignancies, inflammatory diseases (sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease; see these terms), infections (tuberculosis, Whipple disease; see these terms), and cutaneous fungal infections.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Providing General Support

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Malakoplakia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Amira M Elbendary. Malakoplakia. Medscape. Jan 19, 2016; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1055606-overview.
  2. João Paulo Junqueira Magalhães Afonso, Patricia Naomi Ando, Maria Helena Valle de Queiroz Padilha, Nilceo Schwery Michalany, Adriana Maria Porro. Cutaneous malakoplakia: case report and review. An Bras Dermatol. 2013 May-Jun; 88(3):432-437. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23793204.
  3. Tolkoff-Rubin NE, Rubin RH, Contran RS. Urinary Tract Infection, Pyelonephritis, and Reflux Nephropathy. In: Brenner BM, Levine SA. Brenner & Rector's THE KIDNEY 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: 2008;