title: Group B streptococcal breast abscess in a mother and mastitis in her infant.
abstract: Group B streptococcus is a common cause of postpartum infection, but breast abscess in a lactating woman has not been reported. Seven days postpartum, a woman developed mastitis resulting from type Ib/c group B streptococcus. She was treated with oral antibiotics for 1 week, with apparent resolution. Breast-feeding was continued, but at reduced frequency on the affected side. Two days later, local and systemic symptoms recurred, and a large breast abscess was surgically drained. Five days into the mother's initial episode of mastitis, her infant developed type Ib/c group B streptococcal mastitis, requiring hospitalization and parenteral antibiotic therapy. It is likely that the pathogenesis of infection in this mother-infant pair was circular, and that either early abscess formation during the mother's first clinical infection and/or milk stasis due to decreased frequency of breast-feeding resulted in transient group B streptococcal bacteremia, with seeding of breast tissue in the newborn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rench
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008413:Mastitis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D012008:Recurrence; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents