What is the Relationship between Behcets disease and old Silk Route of Marco Polo?
Although Behçet’s disease occurs worldwide, it is much more prevalent in individuals living along the old Silk Route (trade trail of Marco Polo), extending from the Orient (Japan) through Turkey and into the Mediterranean basin. Japanese and Eastern Mediterranean individuals have a three to six times increased incidence of HLA-B51 in patients with Behçet’s disease compared with controls. The presence of HLA-B51 appears to be associated with a more complete expression of manifestations and a more severe clinical course of disease. HLA-B51 is not increased in frequency in patients with Behçet’s disease in the United States. Genome-wide scans have identified up to 16 additional loci that may contribute to the risk of developing Behçet’s disease. Familial clustering has been reported.
