Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that affected almost all countries worldwide with more than 29,439,120 confirmed cases and 932,486 deaths recorded till on September 14, 2020. However, on May 25, 2020, after 2 months from the first reported case of COVID-19 in Libya, the country was among very few countries in the world that had very few cases of COVID-19 with a total of 75 confirmed cases and three deaths during the first 2 months since the detection of the first case on March 24, 2020. Based on the global epidemiological pattern of the disease, the magnitude of COVID-19 in Libya could have been much worse. However, the reality is eccentrically different and the epidemiology exhibited different scenario with very few cases being recorded during the first 2 months of pandemic in Libya. In this article, a review of COVID-19 situation in Libya is presented with thoughts about the potential reasons that could explain the very few cases of COVID-19 in the country in context with the global figures of the pandemic.
Ibrahim Eldaghayes(11-2020)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health threat. This virus is the causative agent for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pandemic prevention is best addressed through an integrated One Health (OH) approach. Understanding zoonotic pathogen fatality and spillover from wildlife to humans are effective for controlling and preventing zoonotic outbreaks. The OH concept depends on the interface of humans, animals, and their environment. Collaboration among veterinary medicine, public health workers and clinicians, and veterinary public health is necessary for rapid response to emerging zoonotic pathogens. SARS-CoV-2 affects aquatic environments, primarily through untreated sewage. Patients with COVID-19 discharge the virus in urine and feces into residential wastewater. Thus, marine organisms may be infected with SARS-CoV-2 by the subsequent discharge of partially treated or untreated wastewater to marine waters. Viral loads can be monitored in sewage and surface waters. Furthermore, shellfish are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Filter-feeding organisms might be monitored to protect consumers. Finally, the stability of SARS-CoV-2 to various environmental factors aids in viral studies. This article highlights the presence and survival of SARS-CoV-2 in the marine environment and its potential to enter marine ecosystems through wastewater. Furthermore, the OH approach is discussed for improving readiness for successive outbreaks. This review analyzes information from public health and epidemiological monitoring tools to control COVID-19 transmission.
Ibrahim Eldaghayes(6-2022)

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the presence of Bacillus cereus in meat, meat products and some seafood in Libya. Materials and Methods: A hundred and thirty one samples were collected from different geographic localities in Libya. The samples were subjected to microbiological analysis for enumeration and isolation of B. cereus by conventional cultural, biochemical and molecular identification by using PCR and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA techniques. Results: Out of 131 samples, only 38 (29%) isolates were found to be B. cereus based on their cultural characteristics on MYP medium, that included 30% beef, 38.2% beef products (minced, burger, kabab and sausage), 31.8% camel meat and 48% chicken products (burger, sausage, kabab and liver). However, B. cereus was not detected from mutton and seafood samples. Seventeen isolates were subjected to molecular identification by using PCR and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA technique and confirmed to be B. cereus. The confirmed B. cereus strains tested for their antibiotic sensitivity profiles and showed high percentage of multi-resistance phenotype. Conclusions: The results provide better understanding of B. cereus isolated from food of animal origin in Libya and suggest that meat and meat products might play an important role in the spreading of B. cereus through the food chain with antimicrobial resistance characteristics.
Salah M.Azwai(1-2018)