• Barbara Stoelinga, Bert J Oosting, Frank E Bellot, Marjolein Kok, and Irene M de Graaf.
• Spaarne Ziekenhuis, Hoofddorp, Afd. Gynaecologie, the Netherlands. bstoelinga@hotmail.com
• Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2011 Jan 1;155(42):A3435.

AbstractA 19-year-old woman with a Syrian background complained of genital ulcers. Sexually transmitted disease was excluded. She was also suffering from oral aphthae and had been treated by a dermatologist for acne. The diagnosis of Behçet disease was made primarily on clinical grounds. Pathological examination of skin biopsies confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was successfully treated with corticosteroids. Behçet's disease is a chronic autoimmune vasculitis, often characterized by oral ulcers. The symptoms are often non-specific and the disease has exacerbations and remissions. This often makes its diagnosis difficult. Its exact cause is unknown but the immune system and genetic factors may play a role. Although diagnosis is made mainly on clinical grounds, laboratory tests and pathology examination may contribute to the establishment of the differential diagnosis.

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