To all;
I have searched the Archives since I have been off lactnet for awhile but
cannot yet find a diffinative answer about MRSA and breastfeeding. Since
last November has anyone seen an new research?
We have a mother and a 33 week premi born at 29 weeks. Progressing very
well!
2 weeks ago when she was transfered to our hospital she started to
breastfeed. Had been getting breast milk via G.Tube all along as soon as
able and stable.

Within a few days of the beginning of actively breastfeeding mother develops
pin point lesions and they turn a bit weepy. Only one side. I was a bit
afraid since I did not see the pimply pus things but first say the tiny
weepy lesion my first concern was a herpes lesion so swabbed it. Had mom
feed on opposite side and just pump and freeze breast milk until report of
awab comes back. 48 hours later a report states that there was no growth.
Initial swab taken on February 9th. Mom start back to breastfeeding baby in
the mean time continues to thrive and grow and stay well still also
receiving EBM if mother isn't there or if feeding appears to not have gone
well.

Suddenly today Feb 15th  Infection control comes by with a report that
states that the swab on mother's breast grows MRSA. Panic buttons are
pushed. Baby's own pead says baby can continue to breastfeed and receive
breast milk but he goes home sick with a cold. Next pead and the infection
control nurse call area neonatal hospitals Mc Master and Sick Kids in
Toronto while I of course get into contact with Jack Newman who very soon
calls me back to say that baby should continue to breast feed however within
the next hour or two the other two resources say that all breastfeeding must
stop and that there is a great deal of MRSA in Toronto area Neonatal units
and all the babies had to stop breastfeeding.

My questions
If the baby is the carrier of colonizes this super bug she has probably had
it for awhile. And the breastfeeding probably was protective to this point.
And if mom got lesions after actually starting breast feeding directly, she
would not be the one carrying the bug. Baby was born prematurely while mom
was on a trip to the south of US  and flown back up to Canada when stable.
This child and mother have now been in several settings, both are well why
would some say that breastfeedign should stop until all other screening by
many swabs of mother and baby come back and they know who is the carrier
etc.?
Do any of my counterparts work in the Toronto  Ontatio Hospital Neonatal
units that actual have had to close their units because of MRSA? and was
breastfeeding stopped and for what reasons. i know about the severity of
this illness if indeed the baby becamew ill however it somehow seems we have
not looked at the history to see when it began etc. The Pead on call slambed
the phone down on me. (I didn't take it personally since he is usually quite
reasonable but can be given to moods and it wasn't his baby and he was off
call in 5 minutes after he hung up on me) But what should we do tomorrow?

Can Mom scald her milk as they do in the Pretoria Sterilization method for
EBM obtained from HIV Positive moms and given back to their own prems. I
just saw this method in action while on a trip to South Africa? Andy
responses would be highly valued. I know that there isn't too much research
but why not?

Attie Sandink
Burlington, Ontario Canada

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