If you've got a sore throat or mouth ulcers, see a doctor. You could have a life-threatening illness.
That is the message from medical experts after nearly half of respondents to a survey said they would not seek treatment for a sore throat - even though most realised it was a symptom of illness - and over a third said they would not trouble a doctor over a mouth ulcer.
The two conditions could be signs of problems ranging from rheumatic fever to Aids, said the researchers, who interviewed 800 people for the survey.
'A sore throat could be a sign of hidden diseases. If you have a sore throat, it is wise to see a family physician for early diagnosis and treatment and to avoid infecting other people, including your children,' said Eddie Chan Tat, a specialist in paediatrics and family medicine.
He said it could be a sign of serious conditions such as tonsil abscesses - which can develop life-threatening complications - and rheumatic heart disease, a condition in which the heart valves are damaged by rheumatic fever.
Registered pharmacist Rose Tung Woi-cheun said a prolonged unhealed ulcer could be a symptom of Behcet's disease, a rare, chronic disorder involving inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body which can cause blindness. It could also be a sign a patient has inflammatory bowel disease or even Aids.