Clinical features: Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast. The common causative organisms of the disease are either staphylococcus or streptococcal bacteria. The breast becomes red, swollen and painful. In breast abscess, there is a collection of pus in the breast reflecting poor ante-and post-natal care. Clinical features of a breast abscess are tenderness, swelling, red, warm, fever and painful lymph nodes.

General: Like any abscess a breast abscess is not accessible to antibiotics. Treatment is thus surgical only. However early in the infection, before the infection loculates (mastitis) non-surgical measures can be applied.

Treatment guidelines

Cloxacillin.500 mg orally every 6 hours for 7 Jays in an empty stomach.

OR

Doxycycline 200 mg orally on the first day then 100 mg daily for further 6 days.

Acetylsalicylic acid 600 mg orally, after food, every 6 hours as needed.

Instruct the patient to apply hot compresses and a constriction bandage to relieve pain in the affected breast, and to press milk if applicable to avoid enlargement.