milk donation and thrush???

Hi! So, we have a generous offer for a local donation of age appropriate milk...both mother and baby had antibiotics after labor and had a bout of thrush as a result. The mother let me know she labeled the bags she pumped while they were being treated but she cannot guarantee there is not an elevated level of yeast in the milk outside of those dates, especially because they had thrush again the following month. I would hate to pass up a donation if I don't need to...there is a ton of need in SoCal right now and not enough donors. She let me know her baby has had milk form the stash with no thrush, so that's reassuring. I know I could pasteurize to kill the yeast but I'm not a fan of pasteurization unless absolutely necessary....I was thinking I could mix up his daily intake with other donor milk so if there is an elevated level of yeast it would balance out and not be an issue...anyone have any thoughts?? Any experience with a frozen stash between or after bouts of thrush?

Thanks!

This is what kellymom.com says:

Many sources recommend that mothers do not freeze expressed milk for later use when they are being treated for thrush. We do know that freezing deactivates yeast, but does not kill it (Rosa 1990), so there is a theoretical risk that milk expressed during a thrush outbreak could reinfect baby at a later date. However, there have been no studies that tell us whether or not this defrosted milk is really a problem.

What do reference books say?

Per Riordan in Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (2004, p. 259):
"It is not clear whether expressed milk of a mother with candidiasis should be saved and frozen for later use. Freezing deactivates yeast but does not kill it."

Per Mohrbacher and Stock in The Breastfeeding Answer Book (2003, p. 483):
"Research indicates that freezing does not kill yeast (Rosa 1990). Suggest the mother give the baby any milk that was expressed and stored during a thrush outbreak while they are being treated. If that is not possible, suggest she boil it to kill any yeast before giving it to the baby."

Per Wilson-Clay and Hoover in The Breastfeeding Atlas (2002, p.58):
"Milk expressed during a yeast infection could possibly be a source of reinfection. Freezing does not destroy yeast."

Per Newman and Pitman in The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers (2000, p. 149):
"Throwing away frozen milk collected while the mother has her problem with C. albicans seems to me a terrible waste. Although freezing the milk does not kill this organism, it is likely, given the antifungal factors in breastmilk, that the fungus will remain in the form that does not cause problems."

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/thrush-expressed-milk.html

I would personally pasteurize it to be on the safe side, but I have no experience with this.

Wow, such detailed information! I'm very new to milk donating and this was helpful.

Thanks!

Carlene (1st time mom of 7-mo old boy who can't pump is seeking milk)