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