Breast infections are a common presentation globally. Symptoms can range from mild discomfort and erythema of the skin to systemic sepsis and abscess formation with associated long-term physical and psychological morbidity. Although more common in the puerperium, non-lactating women, in particular, those between the ages of 18 and 50 years can be affected by the condition. Prompt recognition and treatment in primary care can reduce the incidence of abscess formation. Delayed or inappropriate treatment can lead to chronic infection with associated tissue destruction. In a minority of cases an inflammatory mass and skin changes can be a presenting feature of breast cancer.
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