Medical Bulletin 04/October/2023

Here are the top medical news of the day:

WHO Recommends new Malaria Vaccine for children which is cost-effective and efficient

In a significant development in the fight against malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria in children. This recommendation follows advice from the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG).

The recommendation was based on pre-clinical and clinical trial data which showed good safety and high efficacy in four countries, at sites with both seasonal and perennial malaria transmission, making it the world’s second-ever WHO recommended vaccine for preventing malaria in children.

Adults shouting at children can be as damaging as sexual or physical abuse: Study

A recent systematic review conducted by researchers at UCL and Wingate University has underscored the need to classify childhood verbal abuse by adults as a distinct subtype of child maltreatment. Currently, child maltreatment is categorized into four subtypes: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.

The study examined 149 quantitative and 17 qualitative studies to evaluate how child verbal abuse is currently defined and measured. The findings revealed a need for a more consistent definition of childhood verbal abuse. Currently, definitions vary between parents and other authorities, and in some cultures, it is normalized as a form of discipline.

Reference: Childhood verbal abuse as a child maltreatment subtype: A systematic review of the current evidence, Child Abuse & Neglect, DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106394

Daily consumption of dark tea may lower type 2 diabetes risk, study finds

New research presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) suggests that drinking dark tea daily may help mitigate the risk and progression of type 2 diabetes in adults by improving blood sugar control. The study discovered that individuals who consumed dark tea daily had a 53% lower risk of prediabetes and a 47% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who never drank tea.

The unique production process of dark tea, involving microbial fermentation, may yield bioactive compounds like alkaloids, free amino acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, and their derivatives. These compounds are thought to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, improve insulin sensitivity, enhance beta cell performance in the pancreas, and alter gut bacteria composition.

Reference: Diabetologia

Meeting: Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

Covid antiviral drug Molnupiravir linked to mutations in SARS CoV 2 genome

Molnupiravir, an antiviral medication widely employed against SARS-CoV-2, has shown the ability to induce mutations in the virus's genome during replication. A team, including researchers from the Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cambridge in the UK, noted that molnupiravir works by inducing mutations in the virus's genetic information, or genome, during replication.

While most of these mutations are likely harmful to the virus, some could potentially affect its transmission. Researchers have discovered extensive evidence of molnupiravir-induced mutagenesis in SARS-CoV-2 sequencing databases, sparking concerns about its implications.

Reference: Sanderson, T., Hisner, R., Donovan-Banfield, I. et al. A molnupiravir-associated mutational signature in global SARS-CoV-2 genomes. Nature (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06649-6