Invisible Illness: Periodic Fever Syndrome



Periodic fever syndrome does not refer to a single disease, nor is it a specific diagnosis, but rather a general term, a classification of a group of diseases. The term “periodic fever syndrome” refers to several different autoinflammatory diseases that have similar symptoms–the primary symptom being a recurrent fever for which no infectious cause can be found. The patient just keeps getting fevers, often accompanied by a range of other symptoms. These are primarily genetic conditions and are not contagious. Autoinflammatory diseases are caused by a malfunction in the innate immune system.


Common Periodic Fever Syndrome Symptoms:

Fever (recurrent, and accompanied by some of the following symptoms)
Rash 
Headache 
Vomiting 
Diarrhea 
Constipation 
Conjunctivitis 
Mouth ulcers 
Swollen lymph nodes 
Abdominal pain 
Joint pains, or arthritis Fatigue 
Abnormal blood test results during flares of symptoms, including: high white blood count (WBC) and high inflammatory markers CRP and ESR 
Serositis (pericarditis, pleurisy)

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