Can a UTI recur?

Q: Recently, I was treated for UTI in a hospital. After 6 days I was discharged and the culture report showed no growth. Are there chances that the infection could recur? I also have renal stones in my left kidney. Please advise.

A:Answer to your question lies in the anatomical site localisation of your last urine infection episode. The stone in the kidney may be of infected or uninfected variety. You may be having stones, which are uninfected, and urine infection may have originated in the lower tract (bladder and prostate area). On the other hand, your stones may be of infected variety, and could be the cause of last infection episode. In the second combination the risk of repeated infections, pus formation and serious risk to kidney are higher. Practically speaking, urine infection in a young man like you is uncommon and needs further evaluation beyond the just 6 days treatment you have received. I would not just sit quiet and would still feel uncomfortable despite your urine culture report being sterile. If everything except the stone is fine on evaluation, I would treat your stone as infected, and remove them since it is impossible to make a system infection free without removing a foreign body. Stone disease in your kidney warrants treatment and its removal, even if it is uninfected, since you have flank pain and hydronephrosis (swelling on your kidney).