Doctors fear that the disease could become an epidemic problem if urgent measures are not taken to control it and raise awareness about prevention methods, especially in rural areas that lack basic veterinary and health services. As part of national efforts to curb the spread of diseases shared between humans and animals, the capital Tripoli recently organized a scientific day dedicated to discussing the disease ‘Rickettsia’ and ‘Q fever’ in Libya, with participation from a group of specialists and researchers in the fields of human and veterinary medicine.
Dr. Osama Ghareeba, Director of the Monitoring and Rapid Response Department at the National Center for Disease Control, stated that “Rickettsia is a bacterial infection transmitted by insects and is endemic in Libya and Mediterranean Basin countries, with cases reported annually in some Libyan cities.” Dr. Ghareeba explained that “recently, cases with skin rashes and high fever were reported, and after medical diagnosis, it was found that the patients had been bitten by insects that caused them to contract Rickettsia.”
Ghareeba added that “the National Center for Disease Control formed a specialized team that conducted a field visit to the site of the cases, in coordination with the health services and animal environmental sanitation departments.” He confirmed that “the center is making significant efforts through monitoring teams to track the epidemic situation in different Libyan cities, whether regarding Rickettsia or other infectious diseases.” He pointed out that “there is a list of diseases that must be reported for the center to follow them accurately and continuously.”
Dr. Ghareeba noted that “the center has trained national teams specialized in monitoring and rapid response to increase their readiness in case of new cases or potential epidemic outbreaks.” He explained that “a number of infections due to insect bites were recorded, and an immediate search for any other potential cases was conducted.” He pointed out that “the responsibility for protection against this disease is a shared responsibility among several sectors,” while also emphasizing the importance of the media’s role in raising community awareness about how these diseases are transmitted and ways to prevent them.
He emphasized that “Rickettsia is treated with antibiotics, which are given to patients who show symptoms after appropriate medical diagnosis.” Dr. Ali Al-Mabrouk Abu Kareen, a member of the Arab-African Advisory Council for Awareness, stated that “diseases do not arise in a vacuum but grow in environments where their causes are present, and they feed on poverty, poor hygiene, lack of awareness, and negligence in prevention.”
He pointed out that “these organisms exploit moments of weakness and live in the cracks left by neglect, whether in homes, health policies, or human consciences. In poor and crowded areas where humans mix with animals and garbage accumulates without health oversight, vectors multiply, and homes become fertile environments for infection.” Abu Kareen added that “weak health systems and declining community awareness make Rickettsia and other parasitic diseases part of the cycle of poverty and disease, which reproduces itself generation after generation,” noting that “climate changes contribute to the expansion of the disease’s scope, as insects carrying the infection spread to new areas that were previously safe.”
Abu Kareen confirmed that “uncontrolled travel and migration that does not undergo health monitoring contribute to the spread of infection across borders,” noting that “these diseases find an ally in human negligence and a fertile environment for survival in ignorance.” He continued: “The relationship between humans and animals is intertwined, and neglecting hygiene in barns and farms and the absence of veterinary supervision make it only a matter of time. Moreover, the lack of training and equipment for public health workers leads to lost golden opportunities to control the disease before it spreads.”
He pointed out that “diagnosis relies on careful clinical examination and observation of skin rashes and necrotic ulcers, alongside assessing environmental conditions or travel to affected areas, with diagnosis confirmed through laboratory tests or PCR testing that detects bacterial DNA.” He emphasized that “diagnostic and treatment capabilities are available in Libya, and the standard treatment for all types of Rickettsia is known and available and should be given immediately upon suspicion without waiting for lab results. In cases of pregnant women or children who cannot tolerate the basic treatment, alternative drugs like Chloramphenicol are used.”
Abu Kareen confirmed that “early treatment during the first days of symptom appearance is very necessary as it helps reduce mortality and complications, while emphasizing that prevention remains the foundation through improving personal and public hygiene and continuing community awareness as it is the real shield against the spread of infection.” He also called for the health system to move towards proactive, predictive, and preventive services that go beyond early warning and surveillance while enhancing health awareness and working with the ‘One Health’ concept, which links human, environmental, and animal health, and building a unified health system based on preparedness and readiness to respond to various health challenges.
