# Serious game prototype for nurses on nipple-areolar lesions resulting from fungal infections in breastfeeding

**Authors:** Lays Pinheiro de Medeiros, Luana Souza Freitas, Anna Alice Carmo Gonçalves, Iasmin Freitas Bessa, Rhayssa de Oliveira e Araújo, Isabelle Katherinne Fernandes Costa

PMC · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0341137 · 2026-03-06

## TL;DR

A serious game called AleitaGame was developed and validated to educate nurses about fungal infections causing nipple-areolar lesions in breastfeeding.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the creation and validation of an educational serious game focused on fungal infections in breastfeeding.

## Key findings

- The game was developed using 40 scientific documents and validated by experts.
- The game received positive evaluations from judges and aims to improve recognition and management of the condition.
- It includes historical content, anamnesis, and clinical parameters relevant to the topic.

## Abstract

Despite the advantages, breastfeeding can be a difficult and painful process, especially due to the occurrence of nipple-areolar lesions due to fungal infection. Objective: Develop and validate a breastfeeding software program using a game to be used as an educational tool.

An educational software program, the serious game “AleitaGame”, was developed through applied, methodological, quantitative and cross-sectional research. Clinical cases were constructed through a Scoping Review and the media resources and content were chosen. The software, the narrative, the clinical aspects and the context were then validated by experts.

The construction of the clinical case presented and the scenario of a nipple-areolar lesion resulting from a fungal infection was based on 40 scientific documents. The product was then evaluated by two groups of judges.

The study allowed the development and validation of the prototype of serious game on nipple-areolar lesions resulting from fungal infections. The game covers historical content, anamnesis and relevant clinical parameters, the game received good evaluation scores from the judges and it is expected that at the end the player will recognize a nipple-areolar injury, identify signs and symptoms and carry out treatment, monitoring and prevention.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** breast candidiasis (MESH:D061325), vulvovaginal candidiasis (MESH:D002181), COVID-19 (MESH:D000086382), infection (MESH:D007239), vaginal infection (MESH:D014627), erythema (MESH:D004890), Fungal infection (MESH:D009181), pain (MESH:D010146), diaper rash (MESH:D003963), fatigue (MESH:D005221), nipple injuries (MESH:C000626393), itching (MESH:D011537)
- **Chemicals:** Gentian violet (MESH:D005840), MemoreBox (-), nystatin (MESH:D009761), fluconazole (MESH:D015725), ketoconazole (MESH:D007654), mupirocin (MESH:D016712), clotrimazole (MESH:D003022), miconazole (MESH:D008825), water (MESH:D014867), vinegar (MESH:D019342)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Candida albicans (species) [taxon 5476], Fungi (kingdom) [taxon 4751]

## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12965671/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12965671