Pathology and Clinical Features of Mastitis

c) Non-infectious mastitis:

• Non-infectious mastitis is an inflammatory response following milk stasis.
• Interleukin - 8 inflammatory cytokine levels are increased during mastitis.
• Part of the breast is painful, red, swollen, and hard and usually only one breast is affected.
• The taste of the breast milk becomes more salty, which is due to:
• Increase in sodium and chloride levels
• Decrease in lactose and potassium 
• The woman often has a fever and feels ill.
• Sub-clinical Mastitis is an inflammatory condition with increase in Interleukin-8, sodium and potassium levels in milk with out clinical signs of mastitis.