Familial mediterranean fever

Familial Mediterranean fever is a rare inherited disorder characterized by recurrent high fevers and inflammation of the joints, abdomen and lungs. As its name suggest, this disease usually affects people from the Mediterranean, but may also affect other ethnicities. Familial Mediterranean fever often begins during childhood and the symptoms occur as attacks that last 2 to 3 days. The symptoms may include a sudden fever, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, swollen joints, recurrent chest pain and rashes on legs. Sometimes, people with this condition also experience muscle aches, tender scrotum and pelvic inflammatory disease. If left untreated, it can lead to chronic arthritis, infertility, nephritic syndrome, amyloidosis and severe pain. Familial Mediterranean fever is caused by a gene defect on the chromosome 16.