This article reviews the most common clinical conditions presenting wi
th fever and musculoskeletal symptoms and attempts to categorize these
disorders according to general etiologic categories as an aid to diff
erential diagnosis. Although a substantial armamentarium of serologic,
immunologic, and molecular laboratory studies have been developed and
are available to the clinician, the most important data are obtained
from a careful history and physical examination with emphasis on the m
usculoskeletal system.