Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive inherited inflammatory disorder that is characterized by recurrent, short, self-limiting bouts of fever accompanied by pain in the abdomen, chest or joints. The most severe complication is progressive amyloidosis of the kidney that ultimately leads to renal failure. FMF is caused by mutations in the MEFV gene which codes for pyrin protein. FMF was diagnosed in the past by measuring ACE, Dopamine beta decarboxylase and amyloid A. Now owing to the nonspecific clinical symptoms, molecular diagnosis significantly improves early and correct diagnosis of FMF, and allows to commence lifelong prophylactic treatment of affected individuals with colchicine. The FMF Strip Assay is based on the reverse hybridization procedures which allow the detection of the twelve most common mutations causing FMF.

FMF gene assay is now available at Alfa Laboratories.