Can Probiotics Really Treat Lactational Mastitis?
Lactational mastitis is an infection of one or more lobules of the mammary gland, occurring up to 33% of lactating mothers. Although the condition may happen at any point during the lactation period, between 75-95% of cases occur within the first 12 weeks, with the frequency particularly higher during the second and third weeks postpartum. New research shows that lactational mastitis is a dysbiotic process. Significant levels of beneficial microbes including Lactobacillus gasseri and L. salivarius are found in healthy breastfeeding mothers, whilst their presence is unidentifiable in the milk of those with lactational mastitis. In comparison, high levels of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermis are found in acute and chronic episodes of the disease respectively. Both strains display multi-drug resistance to antibiotics, explaining why this condition is difficult to treat and can become recurrent or chronic.
Due to their anti-infectious, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, much attention has been paid to the oral administration of L. fermentum, L. gasseri and L. salivarius. A blend of L. gasseri and L. salivarius was administered to women with lactational mastitis for four weeks. At day 14, those supplemented showed no clinical signs of mastitis, whereas the condition persisted in the control group throughout the study period. A second trial divided mastitis sufferers into three groups; receiving either L. salivarius, L. fermentum or antibiotics. Those in the probiotic groups had greater improvement, and lower recurrence of lactational mastitis when compared to those in the antibiotic group. Other lactobacilli species such as L. lactis and L. rhamnosus have also shown to significantly inhibit the growth of S. aureus.
In this interview, Andrew Whitfield-Cook interviews Belinda Reynolds, a noted dietitian with a special interest in women's health, pregnancy and breastfeeding. By explaining this truly groundbreaking research, Belinda highlights the potential that probiotic therapy has for the prevention and treatment of infectious lactational mastitis.