What is Behcet's Disease?

What is Behcet's Disease?

Behcet's disease is a type of vasculitis, in which there is a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels of the body. This blood vessel ...more »

• Behcet's Disease: Recurring inflammation of small blood vessels affecting various areas.
• Behcet's Disease: rare chronic inflammatory disease involving the small blood vessels; of unknown etiology and characterized by mucocutaneous ulceration in the mouth and genital region and uveitis with hypopyon; the neuroocular form may cause blindness and death; synovitis, thrombophlebitis, gastrointestinal ulcerations, retinal vasculitis, and optic atrophy may occur as well.
  Source - Diseases Database

Behcet's Disease is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Behcet's Disease, or a subtype of Behcet's Disease, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Behcet's Disease as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Behcet's Disease: Introduction

Types of Behcet's Disease:

Broader types of Behcet's Disease:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Digestive Diseases
• Rheumatic conditions
• Blood vessel conditions
• Skin conditions
• Circulatory system conditions
• Non-pathogenic inflammatory conditions
• Immune system conditions
• Autoimmune conditions
• more types...»

How many people get Behcet's Disease?

Prevalance of Behcet's Disease: rare in the USA; more common in Middle East, Asia, and Japan.
Prevalance of Behcet's Disease: Behçet’s disease is common in the Middle East, Asia, and Japan, but rare in the United States. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Behcets Disease: NIAMS)

Who gets Behcet's Disease?

Patient Profile for Behcet's Disease: Typically 20's or 30's but any age possible.

Profile for Behcet's Disease: Behcet's disease generally begins when patients are in their 20s or 30s, although all age groups may be affected. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Behcet's Disease Information Page: NINDS) ... Behçet’s disease tends to develop in people in their twenties or thirties, but people of all ages can develop it. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Behcets Disease: NIAMS)

Gender Profile for Behcet's Disease: Men more than women.

Gender Profile for Behcet's Disease: In Middle Eastern and Asian countries, the disease affects more men than women. In the United States, the opposite is true (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Behcets Disease: NIAMS)

Racial predominance for Behcet's Disease: Middle East and Asia

How serious is Behcet's Disease?

Prognosis of Behcet's Disease: Lifelong. Remissions and recurrences.
Complications of Behcet's Disease: see complications of Behcet's Disease
Prognosis of Behcet's Disease: Behcet's disease is a lifelong disorder which proceeds over a long period of time in a series of remissions (lack of disease activity) and exacerbations (periods of active disease). (Source: excerpt from NINDS Behcet's Disease Information Page: NINDS) ... Most people with Behçet's disease can lead normal lives and control their symptoms with proper medicine, rest, and exercise. Doctors can use many medicines to relieve pain, treat symptoms, and prevent complications. When treatment is effective, flares usually become less frequent after 1 or 2 years. Many patients eventually enter a period of remission. In some people, however, treatment does not relieve symptoms, and gradually more serious symptoms such as eye disease may occur. Serious symptoms may appear months or years after the first signs of Behçet's disease. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Behcets Disease: NIAMS)

What causes Behcet's Disease?

Causes of Behcet's Disease: see causes of Behcet's Disease

What are the symptoms of Behcet's Disease?

Symptoms of Behcet's Disease: see symptoms of Behcet's Disease

Complications of Behcet's Disease: see complications of Behcet's Disease

Can anyone else get Behcet's Disease?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.
More information: see contagiousness of Behcet's Disease
Inheritance: see inheritance of Behcet's Disease

Behcet's Disease: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Behcet's Disease.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Behcet's Disease.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Behcet's Disease: Dermatologist, Gynecologist, Urologist, Ophthalmologist, Gastroenterologist, Neurologist, Rheumatologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Behcet's Disease.
Treatments for Behcet's Disease: see treatments for Behcet's Disease
Research for Behcet's Disease: see research for Behcet's Disease

Organs Affected by Behcet's Disease:

Organs and body systems related to Behcet's Disease include:

• Blood vessels
• Eyes
• Joints
• Digestive
• Skin

Name and Aliases of Behcet's Disease

Main name of condition: Behcet's Disease

Class of Condition for Behcet's Disease: autoimmune

Behçet’s Disease, BD

Behçet syndrome, Oculobuccogenital syndrome Source - Diseases Database

BD (Behcet disease), BD (Behcet disease)
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Behcet's Disease: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Behcet's Disease:

• Adamantiades-Behcet disease
• Triple Symptom Complex
• Swelling
• Redness
• Heat
• Pain

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