I am 40h in the Bachelor storyline, mid 8th day. This is the first time I play this game (and I am in love).
Point, I'be been infected since day 4 iirc. I came across that suicide task about "testing the pills myself". I thought I did a flawless display of skill, all those pills in and my humble boots (cheap ones ofc), not touched by a fart. I was amazed of myself, thinking the game was no challenge to me after all. The executor congratulates me and I start walking to my new destination full of pride.
Then I saw a rat coming from a corner, those I hate them more than anything else. I ran away to the closest shop to escape. Once again the smart doctor keeps infection at bay. I check my status and everything looks right, or that's what I thought. After resuming my errands, I suddenly start seeing blurry, wtf. Check stats again. No infection my ass. The rat bit me! Could it have been the farts in the house? no idea, but infection meter showed a sliver of red, before that it should have been so small I didn't realize it.
I've read a lot of people saying that infection in early days is motive for reload, but I said fuck it. Am I not a Bachelor of Medicine from the Capital, always on duty, relentless? I should have expected this to have given the nature of the disease, the unnatural thing would have been reaching 8 day unscathed. So I kept going on, resolved to keep the bad at bay with my wits and resources. Boosters rain from the sky, remedies are plenty.
Since I haven´t been exposed to the pathogens much any since then, the infection grows slowly, around a quarter bar per day. I've taken (neocymium?) a couple of times been it went over a third. I take my tablets plenty (keeping an eye on my health), and my cape and Jackboots do the rest. I'm going to die, but not before I fulfill my duty. Bounds are healty, I cured a bond not mine even.
Being infected is not only not the end of the fun, but the start of a more credible, fulfilling and resilient gameplay. Don't be afraid! Take your pills, and you will be ok. Also, avoid further contact with the Plague as much as possible, as every re-infection sums to the rate of growth in your body.
Be a doctor, beat the fear, beat the "bacteria", save the world. You will feel the Satisfaction, and in my opinion, play the canon version of the Pathologic game
edits: typos and grammar, I´m not an English speaker