The Problem of AIDS in Eastern Libya

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal disease, the victims of which were previously healthy and had no history of immunodeficiency. The victims of AIDS die of a variety of opportunistic infections which develop due to acquired inability of the patients to mount cellular as well as humoral immunity. The human immunodeficiency virus types I (HIV-1) has been implicated as the causal agent of AIDS. Regarding the mechanism of pathogenesis, HIV-1 enters susceptible cells through binding to HIV-1 -specific receptor which is closely related to CD4 antigen of Thelper/inducer lymphocytes; cells other than CD4+ lymphocytes has now been shown to be infected by HIV-1. Infections through sexual contact, blood and body fluids, and from mother to child remain the main modes of transmission. The sero-epidemiological studies conducted so far in Benghazi have failed to find antibody to HIV-1 in eastern Libyans, and there has been no report of any case of AIDS from eastern Libya yet as of November 1990. Homosexuality, heterosexual promiscuity, prostitution and intravenous drug abuse are not expected to exist in Libyan society. Therefore, it seems at present that the traditional social life and social behavior pattern of eastern Libyans may be helpful in keeping the HIV-1 away from eastern Libya. Perhaps, a sero-epidemiological study of a second retrovirus HIV-2 should also be undertaken in eastern Libya and only then, can any definite conclusion be drawn about the problem of AIDS in eastern Libya.