MALIGNANT BOUTONNEUSE FEVER AND POLYMYALGIA-RHEUMATICA - A COINCIDENTAL ASSOCIATION

Mediterranean spotted fever is a tick-borne disease that is endemic in the Mediterranean basin from spring to autumn. Usually mild, the dise ase can be severe in some cases, especially when risk factors are enco untered in patients or when treatment is delayed, The correlation betw een these malignant forms and patients' immunological disorders remain s unclear, while the pathophysiology of the disease seems well known. ii case of a malignant form of Mediterranean spotted fever is reported which occurred 2 months prior to the diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumat ica. Evidence of immunological disorders consisted only in an antiphos pholipid antibody associated with a transient lupus anticoagulant. No underlying risk factors other than the primary undiagnosed phase of po lymyalgia rheumatica has been observed.