What is Familial Mediterranean
Fever?
Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an inherited disease,
characterized by recurrent attacks of fever, inflammation of
the abdominal lining (peritonitis), inflammation of the lining
surrounding the lungs (pleurisy), painful, swollen joints
(arthralgia and occasionally arthritis), and a characteristic
ankle rash. This condition is also sometimes referred to as
recurrent polyserositis or familial paroxysmal
polyserositis.
FMF is considered a rare disease worldwide. However, it is
very common in people of Sephardic (non-Ashkenazi) Jewish,
Armenian, Arab and Turkish heritage. Among people with these
backgrounds, about 1 in 200 has FMF. The availability of
genetic testing has helped identify numerous cases among
several additional populations with Mediterranean roots,
including: Ashkenazi Jews, Italians, Greeks, Spaniards, and
Cypriots, and occasional cases in a broad range of other
ethnicities (Northern Europeans and Japanese).
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