Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 16:20:10 -0800 From: Kimberly Elms <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] Organization: Arizona State University X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0 (Win16; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: [log in to unmask] CC: Lactnet <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Resistant bacteria, E.coli & meningitis Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I will try not to get into too much detail, but this is one of my favorites so bear with me. First of all, E. coli is an opportunistic bacteria that usually infects the intestinal and urinary tracts. It is a common nosocomial infection. Under normal circumstances, it is a self-limiting disease and is rarely fatal except in infants and the immuno-compromised. After some discussion with a well trusted professor of mine, the conclusion was this: If the mother is being treated with antibiotic(s) that are contraindicated when nursing, then don't BF. If the infection is in the blood stream, don't BF (but she'd probably be too sick, anyway). Other than that, extra care regarding personal hygiene would eliminate transmission from mom to baby. Colostrum is protective against some enteric pathogens, as is breastmilk. I don't know if colostrum prevents meningitis, but it may restrict infections to such a degree that they don't develop into meningitis. Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in our nasal cavities and is usually harmless. Interestingly, the origin of this vancomycin resistance was traced back to our beloved nurses. When a nurse giving an injection of vancomycin would push the plunger of the syringe up to purge the air, an aerosol of vancomycin would puff out. The S.aureus in her/his nasal cavity would be exposed to the antibiotic (sometimes several times a day) and eventually would develop resistance. Here it lives happily until a more favorable environment inevitably comes. Again, if mom is taking drugs that aren't BF friendly or is septicemic, BF wouldn't be recommended. ------------------------------ Kimberly Elms Arizona State University [log in to unmask] ------------------------------ A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.