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Aim:  Behçet’s disease (BD) is an autoimmune disorder associated with HLA‐B51 positivity. Serologic/genomic findings have suggested microbes as possible causative agents and the geographical distribution suggests environmental influences.

Methods:  We performed comparative analyses of 40 patients with BD or related symptoms not fulfilling BD criteria. Patients originating from different regions of Iran were tested by molecular/serological methods for human herpes viruses and parvovirus B19, two Chlamydiae species, as well as Coxiella, Listeria, Yersinia, Leptospira and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Human leukocyte antigen‐typing was performed: testing of cytokine profiles and immune mediators representative for the cellular immune system, including neopterin/kynurenine production.

Results:  No apparent differences in interleukin (IL)‐4, 6, 8 and 10 were observed, whereas production of soluble …