Behçet disease: Uncommon or underdiagnosed?

Is Behçet disease uncommon or rather underdiagnosed? When should it be suspected?

Gülen Hatemi, MD: The prevalence of Behçet syndrome shows great variation across geographies. It is much more common in Turkey, Iran, Middle Eastern countries, and countries at the other end of the Silk Road: Japan, Korea, and China. In these countries it is frequently recognized much earlier than in countries where the prevalence is lower.

So in a European country, especially in the north of Europe, where the prevalence of Behçet syndrome is quite low, the disease may be underdiagnosed.