[Mediterranean boutonneuse fever as a cause of arthritis and false-positive serology for Borrelia burgdorferi].

Arthritis is a rare clinical manifestation of Mediterranean boutonneuse [correction of Botonous] Fever (MBF). We present the case of a female patient with MBF who was admitted with an acute monoarthritis with inflammatory fluid and, besides, had a false-positive serology to Borrelia burgdorferi, which we have not found published before. In the scientific literature reviewed we only found 12 cases of MBF and arthritis. We discuss its probable pathogenic mechanism and underline the scarce importance which has been given to this manifestation in the large MBF series.