Etiopathology of Behçet's disease: herpes simplex virus infection and animal model.

The etiology of Behçet's disease has been proposed as being a viral, bacterial, genetic and immunological disorder. After Hulusi Behçet's viral etiological hypothesis, many investigators have tried to confirm this. Scrapings and fluids from patients were applied to subculture in chorioallantoic membranes of fertilized eggs as well as in mice and rabbits by direct intracerebral injection. Since the 1980s, in situ hybridization, blotting, and polymerase chain reaction has also been applied to identify the herpes simplex virus DNA and RNA in patients. Animal models were developed based on environmental pollutants, bacterial and human heat shock protein derived peptides and virus injection. Using these animal models separately and/or concurrently, allows for a more effective investigation into Behçet's disease.