What is Behçet’s?

Behcets syndrome (also known as Behcet’s disease) is a rare chronic auto-inflammatory multisystem disorder of unknown cause, typically characterised by recurrent mouth ulcers, genital ulcers, eye inflammation, joint pain and skin lesions.

It can cause blindness or lead to life-threatening complications when, for example the central nervous system or major blood vessels are involved.

It is sometimes known as “Silk Road Disease”, as it is more common along the old silk trading routes of the Middle East and Asia. Approximately 1000 people in the UK are thought to have Behcet’s syndrome.

With Behcet’s syndrome, the immune system becomes over-active and produces unpredictable outbreaks of unwanted and exaggerated inflammation. This extra inflammation affects blood vessels, usually the small ones. As a result symptoms occur wherever there is a patch of inflammation; this can be anywhere where there is a blood supply.

Research is ongoing into why the immune system starts to behave this way in Behcets syndrome. Most of the symptoms are painful but not life-threatening. They come and go in a series of attacks (‘flare-ups’) throughout life.

There is currently no cure for Behcets syndrome.