Probiotics treat mastitis better than antibiotics

A study published last month in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases offers an interesting surprise about the treatment of mastitis (infection of the breast).

"Mastitis is a common infectious disease during lactation, and the main etiological agents are staphylococci, streptococci, and/or corynebacteria. The efficacy of oral administration of...two lactobacilli strains isolated from breast milk, to treat lactational mastitis was evaluated and was compared with the efficacy of antibiotic therapy."

What happened to the women who took probiotics instead of antibiotics?

"On day 21, the mean bacterial counts in the probiotic groups were lower than that of the control group...Women assigned to the probiotic groups improved more and had lower recurrence of mastitis than those assigned to the antibiotic group."

Of course there is the obvious advantage of not decimating the patient's microbial ecology. This impressive result, summed up in the authors' conclusion, is worth bearing in mind if you're nursing a baby who caring for someone who is:

"The use of L. fermentum CECT5716 or L. salivarius CECT5713 appears to be an efficient alternative to the use of commonly prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of infectious mastitis during lactation."