I think mastitis is more likely to be bacterial in the first week or so
postpartum, rather than inflammation because:
- more likely assoc with cracked nipples
- mother and baby still learning to breastfeed, and less efficient at
draining the breast
- mother still recovering from the birth
- staph may have been picked up in hospital.
On the other hand, it is also more likely to be diagnosed as infectious b/c:
- hospital staff may think all mastitis is infectious
- antibiotics more likely to be prescribed by hospital staff than in the
community.
Also, remember staph may be resistant to erythromycin as well as penicillin.
In haste!
Lisa Amir
MBBS, MMed, IBCLC in Melbourne, Australia

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