From the BBC:
Hundreds of people in China believe they might have a new disease with HIV-like symptoms, but doctors suggest their illness could be the result of a mental rather than a physical condition… This time doctors are blaming a breakdown in trust between the medical profession and patients, who fear they are being lied to when their diagnostic tests come back negative.
One man convinced he has the condition insisted on meeting in an empty motel room. He tries to avoid public places to reduce the chances of transmission… He started to feel ill several months ago, also after a visit to a prostitute, where he says he took precautions to avoid catching HIV.
“Twenty-four hours later I had a strong desire to vomit. I had headaches, I was dizzy, I could feel my internal organs were swelling up. I was in intense pain. This lasted months.”
He thought he was HIV positive but was tested several times and there was no sign of HIV antibodies… (Doctors) suspect extreme guilt or anxiety about an act the men are ashamed of – sex with a prostitute – is affecting their immune systems, making them feel ill.
