periodic fever [Gk, peri, around, hodos, way; L, febris] , 1. a hereditary illness with intermittent episodes of fever accompanied by abdominal or pleuritic pain. It affects mainly Sephardic Jews, Armenians, and Arabs. Onset occurs between 10 and 20 years of age. Some cases are complicated by symptoms of arthritis, splenomegaly, and renal amyloidosis that may progress to a fatal kidney disorder.2. See familial Mediterranean fever.