New mystery disease in China: Negative AIDS

'Negative Aids' leaves mainland sufferers, officials in the dark

The Health Ministry dismissed claims that many people across the mainland were suffering from symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, bleeding under the skin, rashes, sweating and aching joints. Repeated HIV tests on the patients had proved negative, prompting some to say they are suffering from "negative Aids".

One man told the New Express newspaper that his mother had been experiencing numbness in her limbs, rashes and aching joints since a blood transfusion three years ago.

He had contracted the same mysterious disease after coming into contact with her blood in an accident. He had lost 30kg in six months and often vomited after eating. His wife and son later complained of the same symptoms but doctors could not tell what was wrong with them. Another man, from Guangzhou, said he developed a cold, followed by aching joints and hair loss, three days after he had a one-night stand with someone he had met on the internet.

A 32-year-old man from Shenzhen said he felt pain all over his body after casual sex and his "muscles seemed to be melting slowly". But mainland Aids experts, after two rounds of study, believed they were not suffering from the disease.