A limited number of medical conditions
preclude breastfeeding. The only infant
condition, galactosemia, requires use of
a nonlactose-containing milk. Conditions
in the mother that limit breastfeeding
are: active untreated tuberculosis, H1N1
influenza, varicella, and active herpetic
lesions on the breast. However, ex-
pressed milk can be used. Mothers who
are positive for human T-cell lympho-
trophic virus type I or II or untreated
brucellosis should not breastfeed nor
provide expressed milk to their infants.
In the industrialized world, it is not
recommended that HIV-positive moth-
ers breastfeed. In the developing world,
where mortality is increased in non-
breastfeeding infants, the overall health
benefits of breastfeeding combined with
antiretroviral therapy outweigh the risk
of the acquiring HIV infection from hu-
man milk.