Amanda Wrigley writes:
"Can babies contract Group B strep through breastmilk?  The details are
sketchy, but a mum's milk was tested positive for it.  Is this possible? "

Jack Newman writes:
"Passing on infection to the baby in this way has never been documented,
as far as I know."

Years ago (the early 80's, I THINK), there were two separate letters to
Obstetrics and Gynecology (I THINK it was that journal) about 2 infants
who presumably become ill after breastfeeding from mothers with bilateral
mastitis.  The authors grew Group B Strep from the mothers' milk and
cautioned against breastfeeding if mastitis was bilateral.  [I just tried
searching for these references with no luck.  I have them in my office and
can get them when I go back there on 9/22, if anyone's interested.]

I myself once saw a case of a mother who had Group B Strep amnionitis, and
after birth developed bilateral mastitis but didn't tell anyone, and
within a week of putting her 28-week premie to breast for the first time
he became septic with Group B strep.  Almost died.  It was enough to scare
me into being very cautious around bilateral mastitis, although the lack
of any reports in the literature in recent years makes me doubtful about
the whole thing.

In my searching just now, I did come up with this reference, which I have
not read:

Rench-M-A. Baker-C-J.  Group B streptococcal breast abscess in a mother
and mastitis in her infant.  OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY.  1989 May.  73(5
Pt 2).  P 875-7.

Ginna Wall, MN, IBCLC, Lactation Services Coordinator
University of Washington Medical Center, Mailbox 356153
1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle WA 98195
Voicemail: (206)548-6368, Fax: (206)548-7665