Behcet's syndrome

Behcet's syndrome is classically characterized by a triad of features, namely, ulcers in the mouth, ulcers of the genitalia and uveitis. The ulcers of the mouth and genitalia are typically recurring crops of aphthous ulcers. Uveitis is inflammation of a specialized area around the pupil of the eye, the uvea. Aside from the uvea, the disease can affect the retina (the visual screen at the back of the eye) and the optic nerve (the nerve from the eye to the brain). Arthritis is commonplace. Behcet's syndrome is a chronic inflammatory disorder. It involves the small blood vessels. The cause of Behcet's syndrome is not known. The disease is more frequent and severe in patients from the Eastern Mediterranean and Asia than those of European descent. The syndrome is named after a Turkish dermatologist Halushi Behcet (1889-1948) whose name has a cedilla under the "c". The accent is on the first syllable ("Be-") and the "t" in the second syllable is pronounced.

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Beh·cet's syndrome 'bā-səts- n a group of symptoms of unknown etiology that occur esp. in young men and include esp. ulcerative lesions of the mouth and genitalia and inflammation of the eye (as uveitis and iridocyclitis) called also Behcet's disease

Beh·çet be-'chet Hulusi (1889-1948)

Turkish dermatologist. Behçet published his original description of Behcet's syndrome in 1937.

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a recurrent multisystem disease characterized by aphthous ulcer in the mouth, genital ulcers, severe inflammation of the iris and other parts of the uveal tract of the eye (see uveitis), and retrobulbar neuritis. It may also involve the joints and cause inflammation of the veins; skin lesions occur in the majority of patients. The condition, the cause of which is unknown, occurs more often in men than women. Treatment is with azathioprine.

H. Behçet (1889-1948), Turkish dermatologist