Question: What is (are) Behcet's disease ?
Answer: Behcet's disease is a chronic multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by ulcers affecting the mouth and genitals, various skin lesions, and abnormalities affecting the eyes. In some people, the disease also results in arthritis (swollen, painful, stiff joints), skin problems, and inflammation of the digestive tract, brain, and spinal cord. Although it can happen at any age, symptoms generally begin when individuals are in their 20s or 30s. The disease is common in Japan, Turkey and Israel, and less common in the United States. The exact cause of Behcet's disease is still unknown. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Experience is evolving with the use of interferon-alpha and with agents which inhibit tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the treatment of Behets disease. Behcet's disease is a lifelong disorder that comes and goes. Spontaneous remission over time is common for individuals with Behets disease but permanent remission of symptoms has not been reported.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the symptoms of Behcet's disease ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Behcet's disease? Symptoms of Behcet's disease include recurrent ulcers in the mouth (resembling canker sores) and on the genitals, and eye inflammation (uveitis). The disorder may also cause various types of skin lesions, arthritis, bowel inflammation, meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord), and cranial nerve palsies. Behcet's is a multi-system disease; it may involve all organs and affect the central nervous system, causing memory loss and impaired speech, balance, and movement. The effects of the disease may include blindness, stroke, swelling of the spinal cord, and intestinal complications. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Behcet's disease. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Abnormality of temperature regulation 90% Arthritis 90% Meningitis 90% Migraine 90% Myalgia 90% Nausea and vomiting 90% Orchitis 90% Photophobia 90% Vasculitis 90% Abdominal pain 50% Abnormal blistering of the skin 50% Acne 50% Arthralgia 50% Gait disturbance 50% Gastrointestinal hemorrhage 50% Hemiplegia/hemiparesis 50% Immunologic hypersensitivity 50% Reduced consciousness/confusion 50% Thrombophlebitis 50% Abnormal pyramidal signs 7.5% Abnormality of the aortic valve 7.5% Abnormality of the endocardium 7.5% Abnormality of the mitral valve 7.5% Abnormality of the myocardium 7.5% Abnormality of the pericardium 7.5% Abnormality of the pleura 7.5% Anorexia 7.5% Arterial thrombosis 7.5% Aseptic necrosis 7.5% Cataract 7.5% Cerebral ischemia 7.5% Coronary artery disease 7.5% Cranial nerve paralysis 7.5% Developmental regression 7.5% Encephalitis 7.5% Gangrene 7.5% Glomerulopathy 7.5% Hemoptysis 7.5% Hyperreflexia 7.5% Incoordination 7.5% Increased intracranial pressure 7.5% Keratoconjunctivitis sicca 7.5% Lymphadenopathy 7.5% Malabsorption 7.5% Memory impairment 7.5% Myositis 7.5% Pancreatitis 7.5% Paresthesia 7.5% Polyneuropathy 7.5% Pulmonary embolism 7.5% Pulmonary infiltrates 7.5% Renal insufficiency 7.5% Retinopathy 7.5% Retrobulbar optic neuritis 7.5% Seizures 7.5% Splenomegaly 7.5% Vertigo 7.5% Visual impairment 7.5% Weight loss 7.5% Alopecia areata - Chorioretinitis - Epididymitis - Erythema - Genital ulcers - Iridocyclitis - Iritis - Irritability - Oral ulcer - Superficial thrombophlebitis - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
Source: GARD

Question: What causes Behcet's disease ?
Answer: What causes Behcet's disease? The exact cause of Behet's disease is unknown. Most symptoms of the disease are caused by inflammation of the blood vessels. Inflammation is a characteristic reaction of the body to injury or disease and is marked by four signs: swelling, redness, heat, and pain. Doctors think that an autoimmune reaction may cause the blood vessels to become inflamed, but they do not know what triggers this reaction. Under normal conditions, the immune system protects the body from diseases and infections by killing harmful "foreign" substances, such as germs, that enter the body. In an autoimmune reaction, the immune system mistakenly attacks and harms the body's own tissues. Behet's disease is not contagious; it is not spread from one person to another. Researchers think that two factors are important for a person to get Behet's disease. First, it is believed that abnormalities of the immune system make some people susceptible to the disease. Scientists think that this susceptibility may be inherited; that is, it may be due to one or more specific genes. Second, something in the environment, possibly a bacterium or virus, might trigger or activate the disease in susceptible people.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the treatments for Behcet's disease ?
Answer: How might Behcet's disease be treated? Although there is no cure for Behet's disease, people can usually control symptoms with proper medication, rest, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. The goal of treatment is to reduce discomfort and prevent serious complications such as disability from arthritis or blindness. The type of medicine and the length of treatment depend on the person's symptoms and their severity. It is likely that a combination of treatments will be needed to relieve specific symptoms. Patients should tell each of their doctors about all of the medicines they are taking so that the doctors can coordinate treatment. Topical medicine is applied directly on the sores to relieve pain and discomfort. For example, doctors prescribe rinses, gels, or ointments. Creams are used to treat skin and genital sores. The medicine usually contains corticosteroids (which reduce inflammation), other anti-inflammatory drugs, or an anesthetic, which relieves pain. Doctors also prescribe medicines taken by mouth to reduce inflammation throughout the body, suppress the overactive immune system, and relieve symptoms. Doctors may prescribe one or more of the medicines listed below to treat the various symptoms of Behet's disease. Corticosteroids Immunosuppressive drugs (Azathioprine, Chlorambucil or Cyclophosphamide, Cyclosporine, Colchicine, or a combination of these treatments) Methotrexate
Source: GARD