Increased rates of hospital-onset Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in National Health Service acute trusts in England between June 2020 and March 2021: a national surveillance review.

A large increase in hospital-onset and intensive-care-unit-onset Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia rates in English acute trusts was observed between 2020 and 2021, coinciding with reported increases in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and associated hospitalizations. Many of these S. aureus bacteraemia cases were defined as co-/secondary infections to COVID-19. Over the same period, increases in the percentage of ventilator-associated pneumonia-related bacteraemia were also found. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have contributed to the increase in hospital-onset S. aureus bacteraemia in England; further studies are needed to better understand the impacts on patient outcomes.

A controlled trial of ketotifen in exercise-induced asthma.

We studied 17 patients in a double-blind controlled trial to see if ketotifen, a new oral mast-cell stabilizing agent, would protect against bronchoconstriction induced by exercise on a treadmill. In addition eight of the patients also completed exercise tests without previous medication and again after inhalation of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). The greatest amount of bronchoconstriction was caused by exercise without preliminary treatment. There was less bronchoconstriction after ketotifen, but this was no better than a placebo. DSCG provided significant protection. We were unable to confirm previous reports that ketotifen is as effective as DSCG in preventing exercise-induced asthma.