Premature termination of nursing secondary to Serratia marcescens breast pump contamination.

BACKGROUND: Serratia marcescens, a known pathogen associated with postpartum mastitis, may be identified by its characteristic pigmentation.

CASE: A 36-year-old P0102 woman presented postpartum and said that her breast pump tubing had turned bright pink. S marcescens was isolated, indicating colonization. She was started on antibiotics. After viewing an Internet report in which a patient nearly died from a Serratia infection, she immediately stopped breastfeeding.

CONCLUSION: Serratia colonization may be noted before the development of overt infection. Because this pathogen can be associated with mastitis, physicians should be ready to treat and should encourage patients to continue nursing after clearance of the organism. Exposure to sensational Internet reports may make treatment recommendations difficult.