Behçet's disease

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, and ocular inflammation, and which may involve the joints, skin, central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. It is most common in those of Mediterranean and Eastern origin, although it also affects Caucasians. The aetiology of the disease remains unknown, but the most widely held hypothesis of disease pathogenesis is that of a profound inflammatory response triggered by an infectious agent in a genetically susceptible host. Supporting this is the consistent association of disease susceptibility with polymorphisms in the human leukocyte antigen complex, particularly HLA-B*51.