What is the prevalence of Familial Mediterranean Fever?
Familial Mediterranean fever primarily affects populations originating in the Mediterranean region, particularly people of Armenian, Arab, Turkish, or Jewish ancestry. The disorder affects 1 in 200 to 1,000 people in these populations. It is less common in other populations.
What is the medical term for FMF?
Overview. Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic autoinflammatory disorder that causes recurrent fevers and painful inflammation of your abdomen, chest and joints.
What are the characteristics of 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 , painful, swollen joints, and a characteristic ankle rash.
How is FMF diagnosis?
A diagnosis of FMF can be confirmed by molecular genetic testing, which can identify the characteristic MEFV gene mutations that cause the disorder. Molecular genetic testing is available through commercial and academic diagnostic laboratories.
What does it mean to be a carrier of familial Mediterranean fever?
Listen. FMF is almost always inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that to be affected, a person must have a mutation in both copies of the responsible gene in each cell . The parents of an affected person usually each carry one mutated copy of the gene and are referred to as carriers .
Is there a blood test for familial Mediterranean fever?
The Invitae Familial Mediterranean Fever Test analyzes MEFV, the only gene known to cause familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). This test is indicated for any individual in whom a diagnosis of FMF is suspected based on clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, or positive family history.
Is Mediterranean Fever an autoimmune disease?
As opposed to an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own cells, FMF is an autoinflammatory disease in which the innate immune system (the body’s first-line defense) simply doesn’t work as it is should.