HIV/AIDS-like symptoms; UNDIAGNOSED DEBILITATING ILLNESS - CHINA

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UNDIAGNOSED DEBILITATING ILLNESS - CHINA

Source Promed

April 9th 2011

Source: China.org.cn, The Global Times report [edited]

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2011-04/08/content_22314763.htm

Despite repeated medical tests and reassurances from the relevant health authorities, people suffering HIV/AIDS-like symptoms insist they are ill and have been infected with an undetected virus. Since 2009, there have been thousands of cases in 6 provinces and municipalities, according to media reports. Victims have complained of HIV/AIDS symptoms despite repeatedly testing negative for the virus.

A leading expert at the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai also backed their claims. It was unlikely "psychological factors" caused the symptoms, Mo Xiaowei told the Beijing News. Her institute had conducted blood tests for 5 sufferers in 2009 and detected "the same unknown virus," Mo said. Mo's Institute, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was "unqualified" to conduct such research, the Ministry of Health said.

"I don't agree my symptoms were caused by an AIDS phobia," one man told the Global Times on Thursday [7 Apr 2011]. "I was tested negative, but I still have the symptoms. I don't know what I have."

Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes and bleeding under the skin. The sufferers are fine and most of their symptoms were "exaggerated," Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, reiterated in a press conference on Wednesday [6 Apr 2011]. His center has done 2 epidemiological studies and sent blood samples to the US for further testing. All were found to be HIV negative, and their CD4 cell ratio in the blood -- an indicator of the immune system [function] -- was found to be normal.

HIV phobia most likely caused the HIV suspicions, said Ministry of Health spokesman Deng Haihua. The sufferers remained unconvinced. "I didn't start seeking out doctors until after I discovered the physical symptoms," one sufferer told the Beijing News.

-- Communicated by: Jerry Hausley

[Borrowing a comment from ProMED-mail's viral diseases moderator CP, which accompanied this posting on ProMED-mail:

"This report further excludes human immunodeficiency virus as the etiologic agent of this undiagnosed illness, and immune system dysfunction does not appear to be involved in at least some cases of this illness. It is still unclear whether the illness can be considered a discrete clinical entity.

"The report from the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai that a (so far uncharacterised) virus has been isolated from patients displaying the symptoms of this illness cannot be evaluated at this stage. A verdict from the US CDC is awaited."

Links To Article; Highly Contagious AIDS-Like Disease Spreading in China

By Chen Yilian

Article Source; Epoch Times Staff March 30th 2011
,

In a small hotel across from the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a reporter from New Express Daily, dressed in an isolation suit, interviewed a dozen “unusual” patients from different areas of China. Their symptoms are painful and debilitating, and AIDS-like, but repeated tests for HIV have come up negative.

Lin Jun, one of the patients interviewed in the March 24 New Express Daily report, said he used to be chubby, but now he is skin and bones, and his joints have become all deformed.

Lin is referred to in the group as “big brother” for his kindness and giving fellow patients hope when they feel hopeless, with some having considered suicide.

In 2008 Lin’s mother received a blood transfusion at a hospital. Afterwards, she experienced frequent night sweats, numb limbs, aches all over, creaking joints, rashes on her hands, and weight loss.

In May of that year, Lin accidentally became infected through contact with his mother’s blood. Fourteen days later, he fell ill with swollen lymph nodes on his neck, sore knees that made clicking sounds, and pain all over his body. He also started vomiting after every meal, and the left side of his face swelled up. In half a year, his weight dropped from 82 kilograms (181 lbs) to 52 kilograms (115 lbs).

Three months later, his wife and child developed the same symptoms.

Lin said he went to every major hospital in Shanghai, but could not get a definite diagnosis. He has taken the HIV test eight times, and each time the test turned out negative.

Then he found an Internet blog called “The Negative Group,” which he learned stands for “HIV negative.” He realized that writing on this blog were all people like himself, with the same kinds of symptoms, desperate to find a cure.

Several Chinese media have recently reported that the Department of Health of Guangdong Province has confirmed that people in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong have fallen ill after being infected with an unknown virus. The patients think they have AIDS, but they test negative for HIV.

Guangdong has organized clinical experts, epidemiologists and psychologists to work together on these cases. The Health Ministry has also selected six provinces with more patients, including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangsu and Guangdong, to conduct epidemiological studies, but there are no results yet, the reports said.

In most of the 30 cases investigated by New Express Daily for its March 24 report, people said their relatives and friends are also infected. Most of the 30 patients were infected through sexual contact. Some experts diagnosed them as having AIDS phobia.

However, the disease seems to be highly contagious and can spread by contact via any bodily fluid—through kissing, shared utensils, sweat, and even protected sex. Once infected, the immune system appears to be attacked, which results in a decrease of white blood cells and the body’s ability to defend against infectious disease and foreign materials.

In the past, official health agencies have only conducted HIV tests on these patients and have not checked for other, similarly pathological viruses. With HIV results coming up negative, many patients then stopped taking protective measures with their relatives. Subsequently, all their relatives and friends were infected, many have said.

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One infected man told The Epoch Times that the disease is highly infectious and hard to prevent. His wife and two-year-old child both appear to have it. The child has lip and skin blood spots, he said.

A retired officer in his 40’s told The Epoch Times for a previous June 16, 2010 report that he had been infected with a disease with similar symptoms in 2009, at a get-together at a friend’s house. “I thought it was just a cold at the time, so I still participated in all kind of gatherings. Consequently, over 100 of my comrades in the army, relatives and friends were infected by me,” he said.

Article Source

====From ProMed====

communicated by:

an anonymous contributor

[The description of the signs and symptoms of this illness (or group

of illnesses) is not given in sufficient detail to suggest a precise

identification. The illness, if indeed it is a single entity, appears

to be widespread in China and transmitted by both blood transfusion

and sexual routes, but is not HIV-related. It may be an immune

deficiency syndrome, but evidence is lacking. ProMED-mail would

welcome further information on this condition from any informed

source.

It should be noted that, according to Wikipedia, The Epoch Times,

which is the source of this report, was founded in 1999 by supporters

of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline and is heavily critical of the

Chinese Communist Party and policies of the Chinese government. -

Mod.CP]

====Note From Tina @ HCV New Drugs ===

There are 70 to 100 million Falun Gong and tens of thousands are interned throughout China in labor camps and prisons.  They are given no legitimate trial or legal representation. If you would like to learn more about China, "organ harvesting", and the Falun Gong I suggest you read this shocking entry on the blog .

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