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WHAT IS BEHCET'S DISEASE?
Also known as BD, Silk Road, and Silk Route disease - Behcet's (BAY-sets) disease was first described in 1937 by Dr.Hulusi Behcet, a dermatologist in Turkey. Behcet's disease currently affects an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Americans with many more going undiagnosed.
Behcet's disease is a rare, chronic, lifelong disorder that involves inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body. Symptoms of Behcet's disease include recurrent oral ulcers (resembling canker sores), recurrent genital ulcers, and eye inflammation. The disorder may also cause various types of skin lesions, arthritis, bowel inflammation, and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord).Behcet's is a multisystem 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.
Behcet's disease is a disorder which proceeds over a long period of time in a series of remissions (lack of disease activity) and exacerbations (periods of active disease).
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