Familial Mediterranean fever is important in the differential diagnosis of recurrent aseptic meningitis in Japan

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by a recurrent fever and multiple serositis. In the present report, we discuss the case of a 42-year-old man diagnosed with FMF accompanied by recurrent aseptic meningitis (RAM). The patient experienced RAM at intervals of several years without any serositis or synovitis. We detected Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene mutations (E148Q homozygotes) and diagnosed FMF in perfect accordance with clinical diagnostic criteria. FMF, in which RAM is a major symptom, has also been described in previous reports. Therefore, FMF should be considered in the differential diagnosis of causative diseases for RAM.