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Is It Safe To Nurse An Infant While Suffering From Flu?

Posted on Thu, 10 Sep 2015

Question: Hello Doctor, my wife and 10 month daughter both have flu and throat infection. My daughter was prescribed Azithral 200 and my wife is prescribed mucosyn 500 (1 tab).
My daughter has completed day 4 of her medication and my wife has completed day 3 of her medication.
My wife is still breastfeeding and we are concerned if this will affect our baby. Pls advice.

Answered by Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jain (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Infectivity decreases after 72 hours

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for asking on this platform

Most common cause of cough/cold is some viral infection.

Both Azithral(Azithromycin) and Mucosyn(Levofloxacin) are antibiotic.Antibiotic has no role in viral infection,so do't get worried regarding the duration of medication.

The infectivity of viral infection is more during initial two days and it decreases thereafter.
Your baby has also the same problem.So once getting infected the immunity against that particular virus develops for some duration.So chances of reinfection is very less.
So I won't get overly worried regarding the spread of infection as baby is already infected with same and 72 hours has been passed.
Continue breast feed and you can advice mother to use face mask for another 2 days for better protection.

I hope this helps.
Please let me know if you have any more doubt.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jain (11 minutes later)

Hello Doctor.

Our main concern is whether the Mucosyn 500 that my wife has been prescribed and has taken now for 3 days will cause any harm to my baby as my wife is breastfeeding. I understand that some antibiotics taken by the Mother may not be good for a baby. If Mucosyn 500 safe to be taken during breastfeeding.

Thanks

Answered by Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jain (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Stop the medication,continue breast feed

Detailed Answer:
As mother is suffering from viral infection there is no use of levofloxacin(an antibiotic).There is no clear evidence about the excretion of this medicine in breast milk.Although the side effect of levofloxacin has been seen in animal models but there is no report in human beings.
Considering all these fact I would suggest you to stop taking Mucosyn and continue breastfeed.

Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar