The nonpuerperal breast infection: aerobic and anaerobic microbial recovery from acute and chronic disease

Article Abstract:

Nonpuerperal breast infections (NBI) involve blockage of the milk ducts and tissue changes within the breast. They are not related to childbirth and are not very common. NBI is different from postpartum mastitis, which involves inflammation of the milk ducts. Staphylococcus aureus is an aerobic (oxygen-requiring) bacteria that has been isolated from NBI. However, penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotic therapy directed against staphylococcus infections has not been totally successful in treating NBI. Chronic NBI may lead to disfiguration of the breast. Recent European studies have indicated that anaerobic bacteria (which do not require oxygen) may play a role in the development of NBI. To determine the aerobic or anaerobic nature of the bacterial infections related to NBI, 66 breast culture samples were taken by needle aspiration from patients with NBI. Samples were cultured under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Fifty-two of the samples were positive for microbial growth. Of these, 11 revealed aerobic bacteria, 5 grew anaerobic bacteria, and 36 contained both aerobic and anaerobic (facultative; able to live with or without oxygen) bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus and Peptostreptococcus were the most common aerobic and anaerobic organisms, respectively. In patients with acute NBI, 63 percent of the samples were positive for anaerobic or facultative organisms. In patients with chronic NBI, 87 percent of the samples were positive for anaerobic or facultative organisms. Treatments with cephalexin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin revealed that 95.3 percent, 92.7 percent, 96.7 percent, and 89.2 percent of the samples, respectively, were sensitive to antibiotics. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Infection, Antibiotics, Bacteria, Aerobic, Aerobic bacteria, Anaerobic bacteria, Breast

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Immune responses to Bordetella pertussis infection and vaccination

Article Abstract:

The bacterial organism Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough in children, has a protein on its surface called filamentous hemagglutinin, or FHA. FHA is thought to be key to pertussis' infectivity. Antibodies are developed by the body in response to exposure to FHA that inhibit its action, and thus pertussis infection. Pertussis vaccines contain FHA and pertussis toxin (PT) in order to stimulate the antibody production as protection against infection. To measure changes in antibody levels that accompany exposure to pertussis vaccine and to determine whether there is a corresponding increase in the number of lymphocytes involved in cell-mediated immunity, 156 healthy children were immunized at about 18 months of age with a vaccine containing FHA and PT. Blood was collected prior to vaccination, one month after vaccination, prior to a booster vaccination one year later, and again one month after the booster vaccination. It was found that compared with the general population, the children in the study did not differ in pretreatment antibody and lymphocyte production, but one month after vaccination the level of antibody to FHA was equal to the level of antibody to FHA in children with pertussis infection. Antibody level to PT was significantly lower than the level in children with pertussis. FHA did not induce proliferation of lymphocytes in study children, although PT did in all study patients regardless of antibody levels or immunization status. This finding highlights important differences in the actions of antibodies to FHA and PT that need further study. Age differences were found as well. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Physiological aspects, Immune response, Bordetella pertussis, Pertussis vaccines

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