Q: I am a 28 years old male. About a year ago I had contact with a prostitute in a foreign country without wearing a condom. Though I did not have intercourse with her, I cannot deny the possibility of genital touching. Late last year I started having a burning and itching sensation in and around the genital area and pain while urinating. Simultaneously there was a chest pain too. Since then I have continuous symptoms till now and whenever I masturbate, I have an increase in pain in the genital and chest area. Since this year I get a sensation of a pulsation going on occasionaly inside the whole body which keeps moving. I have pain in my back also. I got myself checked and the doctors said it was E. coli infection in urine after culture and sensitivity test. I was given a lot of antibiotics but to no avail though the pain is a little less nowadays. It has been 2 months since I am continiously on medication. The E. coli infection went away after some antibiotics but appeared again as I stopped taking the course. I have got my VDRL and HIV checked twice after 12 months of coming into contact and they were negative. Besides this, everything is ok including kidney functions. I have had a CT scan & IVP test and they are normal. After describing all these symptons, I want to ask some questions: 1. Can all kinds of bacteria be found by a urine culture & sensitivity test? 2. Is it only E. coli or could it be some other bacteria which is not easily recognizble as doctors are insisting that this is E. coli infection only and nothing else? 3. Recently my uncle expired because of a urine infection which was also found to be E. coli but it did not go away with all the antibiotics given and my father is also having some urine infection nowadays. Could it be that I have passed the infection to them by use of same towel or using same toilet or some other means? 4. What kind of bacteria is this and what should I do to get rid of it and can I marry in the next 4-5 months? 5. Why is there a pulsation inside the body ? 6. Can I believe that this is a simple E. coli infection and all these symptons are because of the prolonged duration of the infection? 7. Is there any medical center/hospital in Delhi which specialises in these kind of problems? Please help as I am very depressed and afraid.

A:The tests indicate that you did not get HIV infection when you were exposed during your sojourn abroad. Stop worrying about it and get on with life. Please make very sure that you do not take such risks again. The best and safest course is to avoid all casual penetrative sex. If you can not avoid casual sex, use a fresh condom from start to finish. Keep in mind however that the condom does not confer 100% protection against HIV or other STIs - accidents can and do occur. As far as the urinary infection is concerned, see a good specialist and take treatment as prescribed. Remember to drink plenty of water to keep the urine flowing and avoiding urinary concentration. Every large Government hospital in Delhi, including AIIMS, have specialists in this area who will help you to get appropriate treatment. Lastly, in my opinion, there is no possibility of your having infected others with your urinary infection.