BREAST-FEEDING, PAIN AND INFECTION

A syndrome of deep pain in the breast during and immediately after lac tation has been ascribed to an infection with Candida albicans. A seri es of 20 patients with deep pain, another 20 with superficial infectio n and 20 healthy women were compared with respect to the growth of bac teria and fungi. C. albicans was found twice as often in the milk of w omen with superficial lesions compared to those with deep pain. Bacter ia were often found on the nipple and in the milk of those complaining of deep pain. Thus, if the deep pain syndrome is caused by microbes, this study points to a pathogenic role of bacteria rather than fungi.