Comparative study of breast and intestinal microecology in lactating women with and without mastitis

This study sought to compare bacterial abundance and diversity in milk and feces of healthy lactating women with patients suffering from lactation mastitis, explore the pathogenesis of lactation mastitis, and develop new ideas for its treatment and prevention from a microbiological perspective. A total of 19 lactating mastitis patients and 19 healthy lactating women were recruited. Milk and fecal Specimens were obtained from both groups, and microbial community structure was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results reveal significant alternations in microbial composition and distribution of milk and feces between healthy lactating women and mastitis patients. The findings suggest that lactating mastitis patients have dysregulated gut and milk microbiota, and modulating the gut-mammary axis may be a potential strategy for preventing or treating mastitis.