Can oral sex lead to E.coli relapse, prostatitis, and HIV?

Question

Hi doctor,

I had protected vaginal sex with a girl I had known for just five days, this was a month ago. It was our first encounter. We also engaged in unprotected oral sex. The next day, I started experiencing pain in my testicles and stomach, along with a general feeling of weakness. After about a week, I submitted urine and semen samples for culture testing.

The urine culture came back clear, but the semen culture detected the presence of E. coli bacteria. I should mention that I have a history of chronic prostatitis, for which I have been diagnosed and treated for more than three years, usually involving the same strain of E. coli. I had believed the infection had been resolved.

On the day of intercourse, we had sex three times within five hours. I wonder whether the intensity of the activity could have triggered a recurrence of the infection, or if the bacteria were still present and have just now reappeared.

Could unprotected oral sex have transmitted E. coli to me?
Or is this simply a flare-up of my existing prostatitis?
Following the semen culture results, my doctor prescribed Tavanic 500 mg once daily for one month. I am currently in the first week of treatment. While the pain has lessened somewhat, I still feel pressure in my lower abdomen. For the past three weeks, I have had persistent bloating and a sensation of fullness in my stomach. Could these symptoms be side effects of E. coli, or might something else be causing them?
I have not had a fever or lost my appetite, but I remain concerned. Apart from completing the antibiotic course, I am worried whether I could have contracted any other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Would an STD have been detected in the semen or urine cultures, or should I undergo additional testing?
Lastly, I am aware of the possibility of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) transmission due to unprotected oral sex. Is there a real risk of HIV in this case?
Should I get tested?
If so, which type of HIV test would give me the fastest and most reliable result at this point?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Frequency of sex has nothing to do with E. coli bacteria (Escherichia coli). Prostatitis is very resistant to treatment, so it is not unusual for symptoms to linger or recur even after completing a course of medication. Just because you have taken treatment for prostatitis does not guarantee that it will not come back. In many cases, prostatitis requires long-term therapy, sometimes four to six months or more.

This ongoing inflammation is likely the main reason you are still experiencing pain and discomfort. Additionally, stress, irregular bowel habits, or incomplete treatment can aggravate symptoms. Patience and consistent follow-up with your healthcare provider are essential.

Semen and culture usually do not cover all STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), and lower abdominal pain is a nonspecific symptom that can be attributed to prostatitis.

Yes, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) can be transmitted through oral sex. So if you know the person, it is better to get her tested because if she is not HIV positive, then you need no testing. Nevertheless, you can go for an HIV 1 and HIV-2 antibody test using the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and HIV RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction).

I hope the above information is useful to you.

Thank you.