Short paper
Malakoplakia in the Urinary Bladder of a Kitten

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Summary

Malakoplakia is a form of chronic granulomatous inflammation that in humans most commonly affects the urinary bladder of middle-aged women. Naturally occurring malakoplakia is rare in animals, having been described twice in the pig only. An 8-week-old kitten was diagnosed with malakoplakia of the urinary bladder after a 3-week history of dysuria. Post-mortem examination revealed a markedly enlarged bladder with a diffusely nodular mucosal surface. Microscopically, there was diffuse submucosal infiltration by histiocytes stained positively by periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and described in the human condition as “von Hansemann cells”. Intracellular and extracellular “Michaelis–Gutman” inclusion bodies were seen on light and electron microscopical examination. These structures are considered pathognomonic for malakoplakia. The pathogenesis of malakoplakia is enigmatic. Defective function of phagolysosomes is currently suspected to underlie the abnormal accumulation of submucosal histiocytes; however the primary functional defect remains unknown.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Eric Sumithran of Gribbles Pathology, Melbourne for valuable diagnostic advice. We are grateful to Dr. Tony Mellor for the submission of the case. Dr. Philippa McLaren was of great assistance in preparing the photographic material. Dr Rick McCoy performed the bacterial PCR.

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