Yinzibing (阴滋病) refers to an unverified disease. AIDS-like symptoms were reported by people who suspected or claimed that they had caught such disease, but these people were negative in the HIV tests.

Names

The term was coined from "yīnxìng (negative)", "àizī (AIDS)", and "bìng (disease)". It was also referred to as "Yinxing Aizibing" (阴性艾滋病, HIV-negative AIDS).[1][2]

Symptoms

An epidemiological study[3] conducted by the Army Medical University in China (formerly the Third Military Medical University, one of the main research centers for yinzibing) found the following symptoms were present in yinzibing patients:

Acute Phase (initial symptoms after first catching yinzibing)

  • Sore throat 91%
  • Reduced body weight 76%
  • Dizziness, headache, fatigue 64%
  • Red yellow urine 56%
  • Conjunctivitis 53%
  • Bowel rumbling, abdominal pain 52%
  • Swollen lymph nodes, lymphatic congestion 46%
  • Chest pain, abdominal pain 43%
  • Skin nodules (erythema) 32%
  • Low grade fever 30%

Stable Symptoms (chronic symptoms that may last years)

  • Crepitus (crepitus is a popping or crunching noise coming from the joints when moved) 73%
  • Thick white tongue coating 71%
  • Muscle twitches (fasciculation) 68%
  • Dry skin 60%
  • Burping 57%
  • Chronic sore throat 56%
  • Easily awoken from sleep 53%
  • Shapeless stool 45%
  • Skin nodules (erythema) 32%
  • Bone pain 27%
  • Cold extremities (cold hands and feet) 22%

The above percentage figures refer to the proportion of yinzibing patients in the study who manifested the symptom.

The study also determined that 33% of yinzibing patients have low CD4 cells (less than 500 CD4 cells per mm3), 31% have an abnormal CD4/CD8 ratio, and 37% had interferon gamma auto-antibodies.

Media Articles in English

History

In 2011, there were rumors that an AIDS-like disease was spreading in Mainland China, which got the attention of the media of China and Hong Kong. Related news coverages circulated on the internet, got attention of internet users, and reminded people of the time of SARS.[4] It was reported that people with "yinzibing" had AIDS-like symptoms such as hypodermic hemorrhage, weak immune system, swollen lymph glands, etc., but they were negative in HIV tests. An investigation had been started in places with more cases such as Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Guangdong.[5] The Chinese Ministry of Health had conducted an epidemiological investigation.

The Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of China stated that no new virus was found and that the so-called yinzibing was a mental health problem as an AIDS phobia.[6][7]

A study of patients claiming to suffer from this disorder, conducted in 2013, concluded that this disease could not be completely explained by mental disorder.[3] However, a follow-up study published in the same journal in 2019 suggested the symptoms are explainable as chronic fatigue syndrome,[8] an illness usually precipitated by a viral infection.

References

  1. ↑ "卫生部发言人：阴性艾滋病是恐艾症状 不存在未知病毒". Xinhua News Agency. 2011-04-06. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08.
  2. ↑ "China's Health Ministry dismisses "HIV-Negative AIDS" concerns". Xinhua News Agency. 2011-04-07. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08.
  3. 1 2 Yaqiong, Liu (15 March 2013). "Epidemiological investigation of cases with complained AIDS-related complex (HIV negative)". Journal of the Army Medical University. 35 (05): 369–375. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ↑ "卫生部回应"阴滋病"疑云:不是艾滋病不具传染性". Xinhua News Agency. 2011-04-07. Archived from the original on 2016-04-17.
  5. ↑ "中國爆數千人染「陰滋病」 | 國際新聞 | 蘋果日報". Tw.nextmedia.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  6. ↑ "疑病者称患"阴滋病" 专家否定存在艾滋病变种". Nanfang Daily. 2011-04-05. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
  7. ↑ "AIDS-like disease is actually phobia: official". Chinadaily.com.cn. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  8. ↑ 熊鸿燕; Hongyan, XIONG; 王太武; Taiwu, WANG (2019-10-15). "Progress of a cause-unidentified disease: negative AIDS (不明原因疾病——"阴性艾滋病"的研究进展)". aammt.tmmu.edu.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-04-08.
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