With the progress of medicine, our understanding of many diseases is constantly being updated. In recent years, a group of people with "AIDS phobia" have gradually come into the public spotlight. They firmly believe that they have been infected with the HIV virus, even though medical test results have repeatedly proven that they are not infected. This phenomenon has drawn widespread attention from all sectors of society and has also given rise to a series of speculations and studies about its causes.
I. AIDS Phobia: A Label of Psychological Disorders?
In the past, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ministry of Health have stated on more than one occasions that "AIDS phobia" is mainly caused by psychological factors. However, the joint investigation results of the Third Military Medical University and other units have raised doubts about this conclusion. Through detailed examinations of more than 200 "patients", the investigation team found that this group of people is not simply "imagining illness when healthy" or "making a fuss about an imaginary illness". Their symptoms include thick and white tongue coating, dry skin, joints snap, and a recurrent sense of swelling in the lymph node areas, etc. These symptoms cannot be simply explained by psychological factors.
II. The Suspected Culprit: Mycobacterium Non-tuberculosis May Be the Backstage Manipulator?
After ruling out psychological disorders as the main cause, the investigation team shifted their focus onto a type of bacteria that widely exists in nature --- Mycobacterium Non-tuberculosis. This is a bacteria that can be infected through inhalation via the respiratory tract and contact with broken skin. The symptoms of infected individuals have a relatively high similarity to those of "AIDS phobia" patients. The investigation results show that a considerable number of respondents had a positive PPD tuberculin test result, which is one of the important signs of the presence of mycobacterial infection possibility.
III. Challenges and Dilemmas: The Limitations of Clinical Testing
Although the investigation team has achieved certain results, due to the limited number of cases, the limited relevant testing techniques, and the fact that most patients report their symptoms themselves, this conclusion still needs to be further verified. In addition, the rapid mutation speed of bacteria also poses a significant challenge to clinical testing. Traditional routine medical tests do not include testing indicators concerning bacteria, resulting in the incapability of routine test results to accurately reflect the real situation of patients.
IV. Looking beyond the Future: Multidisciplinary Collaboration and In-depth Research
Facing the complicated problem of "AIDS phobia", single-discipline research is clearly insufficient. In the future, experts from multiple disciplines such as medicine, psychology, and microbiology need to work together to conduct more in-depth research and discussions to find the exact causes and treatment methods for this group. Meanwhile, at the national level, support for such research should also be scaled up to provide more resources and assistance for patients and researchers.
