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Painful, recurrent oral ulcers are the most common manifestation, but genital ulcers, ocular disease, skin lesions, joint pain, and other manifestations may also occur.1,2 Without recognition of the common thread connecting these seemingly unrelated manifestations, a diagnosis can be delayed for years.3
About Behçet’s
Learn about the disease,
including manifestations, causes,
and management
Recognize Behçet’s
Understand the challenges
of diagnosing Behçet’s Disease and
the importance of referring
to a rheumatologist
Access Resources
Obtain diagnostic criteria,
view photos of disease
manifestations, and find links to
useful websites
Suspect Behçet’s disease?
Refer to a rheumatologist to confirm a diagnosis
Behçet’s (pronounced beh-CHETS) Disease, also known as Behçet’s Syndrome, was discovered in Turkey by Hulusi Behçet, a dermatologist who noted the triad of aphthous oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and recurrent eye inflammation. Behçet’s Disease is often arrived at through a differential diagnosis that rules out other possibilities. Because of this, it’s frequently misdiagnosed and can take ~5 years from the onset of symptoms before a patient sees a healthcare professional and receives a correct diagnosis.1,3-5
Behçet’s Disease is also known as Silk Road disease because it is commonly found in countries along the ancient network of trade routes between the Mediterranean Sea and Japan, with the highest prevalence in Turkey.5
-1 per 100,000
People in Austrialia
-1 per 100,000
People in New Zealand
-1 per 100,000
People in China
-1 per 100,000
People in Russia
-1 per 100,000
People in Argentina
-1 per 100,000
People in Chile
-1 per 100,000
People in Brazil
-1 per 100,000
People in Colombia
-1 per 100,000
People in Islands
-1 per 100,000
People in Mexico
0.64 per 100,000
People in UK
1.53 per 100,000
People in Portugal
2.1 per 100,000
People in Kuwait
2.26 per 100,000
People in Germany
3.8 per 100,000
People in Italy
4.9 per 100,000
People in Sweden
5.2 per 100,000
People in US
5.6-7.5 per 100,000
People in Spain
7.1 per 100,000
People in France
7.6 per 100,000
People in Egypt
>15 per 100,000
People in Morocco
17 per 100,000
People in Iraq
20 per 100,000
People in Saudi Arabia
22 per 100,000
People in Japan (Hokkaido)
30.2 per 100,000
People in Korea
80 per 100,000
People in Iran
110 per 100,000
People in Northern China
146.4 per 100,000
People in Israel (Druze)
421 per 100,000
People in Turkey
PREVALENCE (105)a
aDot size reflects prevalence.
Help raise awareness of the
challenges of Behçet’s Disease and reduce the delay in diagnosis
Lack of disease information and awareness are factors that delay the diagnosis of many rare diseases.7 Raising awareness is the logical first step toward improving the lives of people with Behçet’s Disease. Sharing the below information via social media will help raise awareness of Behçet’s Disease and may even prevent a delay in its diagnosis.
Share to Raise Awareness
#BehcetsConnection
1. Zeidan MJ, Saadoun D, Garrido M, Klatzmann D, Six A, Cacoub P. Behçet’s disease physiopathology: a contemporary review. Auto Immun Highlights. 2016;7(1):4.
2. Cho SB, Cho S, Bang D. New insights in the clinical understanding of Behçet’s disease. Yonsei Med J. 2012;53(1):35-42.
3. Alpsoy E, Donmez L, Onder M, et al. Clinical features and natural course of Behçet’s disease in 661 cases: a multicentre study. Br J Dermatol. 2007;157(5):901-906.
4. American Behçet’s Disease Association website. behcets.com. Accessed October 4, 2018.
5. Leonardo NM, McNeil J. Behçet's disease: is there geographical variation? A review far from the Silk Road. Int J Rheumatol. 2015;2015:945262.
6. Yurdakul S, Yazici Y. Epidemiology of Behçet’s syndrome and regional differences in disease expression. In: Yazici Y, Yazici H, eds. Behçet’s Syndrome. New York, NY: Springer; 2010:35-52.
7. Rare Disorders. Rare Disease Day US. National Organization for Rare Disorders. rarediseases.org/rare-disease-day. Accessed November 14, 2018.
