Behcet's (pronounced - buh.setz) disease was first described in 1937 by a Dr. Helusi Behcet. a professor of dermatology. Behcet's disease is found most commonly in the Middle East, Asia and Japan but it is relatively uncommon in Europe, Canada and the U.S.A.
Behcet's disease is now recognized as a rare, chronic, lifelong disorder that involves inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body. It is a multi-system autoimmune disease characterized by vasculitis. It has the ability to mimic various other disease's such as MS. Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn's disase. Because of the way it manifests itself with so many confusing symptoms at various times (flares and remissions) it is often mis-diagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
Although Behcet's is incurable at the present, it does not mean that it is untreatable. Treatment is aimed towards individual symptoms as they occur. Medications are given to reduce inflammation, suppress the immune system and help control the flare-ups. No one knows why the immune system starts to behave this way, but they do know it's not infectious, contagious, cancerous or sexually transmitted.
Researchers think that two factors are relevent in the development of Behcet's disease. First, that sufferers may have a genitic predispositon to it, that it, may be due to one or more specific genes. Second, something in the enviroment, possibly a bacterium or virus, might trigger or activate the disease in susceptible people. At this time, these are just theories as there has been no actual gene or virus indentified as the cause of Behcet's. Scientists are coming closer and closer to understanding this rare and devastating disease to bring about a greater understanding and a proper diagnosis.
Behcet's Disease is a disease that effects not only the sufferer but the family and friends as well. |
