Family Riddled with FMF needs DNA to find Middle Eastern Roots

The article noted below says that FMF can occur without Middle Eastern roots. That is not exactly true. FMF can occur when one does not know that they do indeed have Middle Eastern roots and only DNA can tell you if you do. Our genealogies will only go so far back and that may not indicate the Mediterranean ancestry that many of us have. I feel that articles like this one below can lead folks astray and we need to encourage more definitive studies of ancestry before making such a statement. See:

Familial Mediterranean fever can occur without Middle Eastern roots
Body and Mind staff
Posted: 05/04/2011 12:10 AM

"The diagnosis took them, their two equally afflicted siblings and the doctors who diagnosed and treat them by surprise. FMF is found primarily among people of Middle Eastern descent — Sephardic Jews, Arabs, Turks, Armenians — and sometimes Greeks and Italians. The background of Zelonis and DeVore is Northern and Western European.

“But familial Mediterranean fever can occur in any ethnic group,” Sachs said. "

http://mobile.pennlive.com/advpenn/db_96632/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=10B342D08B6C9067B870F90BB1DC3213?contentguid=K0ir2b8A&detailindex=1&pn=0&ps=5&full=true

For more information on Familial Mediterranean Fever please see:

Familial Mediterranean Fever blog - 'my story' w/ FMF, and LOTS of medical documentation, charts etc.
http://familialmediterraneanfever.blogspot.com/

FMF Support mailing list:
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Familial Mediterranean Fever Community
http://www.rarediseasecommunities.org/en/community/familial-mediterranean-fever