Response to the article entitled as “Venereophobia – A comprehensive review”

Dear Sir, The review article entitled as “Venereophobia – A comprehensive review” appeared in Indian J Sex Transm Dis 2025;46: 2-6[1] was a wonderful article that covered the epidemiology, symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and the management aspects. This subject is very important often ignored and not discussed by the dermatovenereologists. The magnitude of the problem is more than what we come across or encountered. As the stigma attached to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the fear and aversion towards venereal diseases and especially with HIV, were existing since decades, but gets more worsened during the recent years due to changing lifestyle patterns and misunderstanding of information found in online channels platforms and social media. Here, I want to add few more points with regards to venereophobia or HIV phobia. In the abovementioned review article, the authors analyzed the problem on the basis of the physiological symptoms, anatomical variations, nonclinical important structures etc. Without any of these signs and symptoms, one can get venereophobia just because of anxiety, fear, misinformation, or misunderstandings. Venero/HIV phobia exists not only in our country but also across the world as we used to get queries from different parts of the world on online health sites. Individuals develop such problems when they have condom tear or condom slips (not knew the exact technique of wearing a condom) or through breast sucking, especially with women who have some secretions. People ask funny questions like that they have handled the common toilet knobs (previously used by possibly a HIV-positive individual), massage parlor activities (the same oil shared for others, handled the genitals, and came in contact with the secretions of the women massagers), and handled some package in a super market which was stained with blood and so on. They also got confused with or imagined that they have oral thrush or oral hairy leukoplakia without knowing exactly about these conditions. In the presence one STI, or any symptoms suggestive of other STI/ HIV or assuming symptoms which were gathered from media or peers, they will be going on testing themselves for HIV for more than 2-5 years, in spite of their nonreactive reports with screening tests, molecular tests etc. So, each and every case has to be dealt differently by clearing their misconceptions along with education, assurances on repeated visits and if necessary, with the help of a psychiatrist. The burden of venerophobia is not less than the real burden of STIs. The thorough knowledge about the symptoms and signs of STI / HIV and the modes of transmission among the budding Dermato-venereologist only, can help to overcome the problem of Venerophobia and HIV phobia. Sex education during school and college days also will have a definite impact in overcoming the venero/HIV phobia menace. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.