Libyan Woman Research Articles

Evaluation of the Level of Awareness and Knowledge of Self-Examination and Mammography Examination among a Group of Libyan Women in Misurata City

Cancer is one of the significant public health problems in the world. Also, breast cancer is a malignant cell, which may start in the breast tissue. Breast self-examination (BSE) is a simple, non-invasive, and low-cost, to detect any changes in breast tissue at an early time. This study aims to assess the awareness and knowledge of BSE and mammography examination among females with different levels of education in city of Misurata-Libya. This study used validated questionnaire divided into two sections. The data collection was from December 2021 to May 2022. 550 questionnaires were distributed to adult volunteers who attending an out-patient clinic at a hospital clinic and/or students and teaching staff at Faculty of medical technology in Misurata. There was a high return rate with 460 (83.63%) returned in total. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 24 (IBM, Armonk NY). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The study showed that 14.8% of the participants practiced BSE practice as a monthly routine. However, the majority of respondents 251 (54.6%) in this study were rarely do the BSE practice. 92.17% of participants had very low knowledge about the mammography examination. The results of this study have demonstrated the extremely low level of awareness of breast mammography examination and performing BSE was particularly low among Misurata Libyan woman community.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in a Crohn’s disease patient treated with biological therapy

A 55-year-old Libyan woman with Crohn's disease was evaluated for persistent skin ulceration at Benghazi Medical Center, Benghazi-Libya. During the initial visit, she was treated with intravenous antibiotics with no improvement. Pyoderma gangrenosum was considered and she received systemic steroids but she did not improve. Surprisingly, after the skin biopsy, leishmania skin infection was diagnosed and she was started on anti-leishmania therapy after which she showed a great improvement in her skin lesions.

The role of Libyan women in social and political changes and the obstacles they face within society

This research aims, through the analytical and historical descriptive approach, to highlight the historical role that Libyan women played in creating social and political change, and to try to understand all the obstacles and challenges they face towards building peace in the current conditions of society. The history of the Libyan woman is that she was fighting and fighting for freed And change, and she faced many difficulties and obstacles, but she still resisted and challenged in order to highlight herself and impose her presence, and Al-Bahtan recommended some recommendations, including: educating women about themselves and their effective role within society in making change, and educating them to raise their status in the social and political aspect, and encouraging Libyan women To participate in dialogues, conferences and meetings, whether local, regional or international, to highlight its position among countries.

Can a Single Glomerulus Morphology Implicate Successful Therapy?

Recurrent gross hematuria of glomerular origin is frequently encountered in clinical practice, and in absence of specific serological marker, renal biopsy is mandatory to address the definitive diagnosis, and set out an appropriate therapeutic protocol. Technical deficiencies associated with practice of renal biopsy are frequently encountered, as inadequate number of glomeruli or poor immunofluorescence staining of kidney biopsy specimen; however, these deficiencies can be offset by detailed electron microscopy analysis of a single abnormal glom.We present a single middle-aged Libyan woman, with a rare glomerular disease, related to abnormal activation of alternative complement pathway, where renal biopsy report was initially not adequate and lacking immunohistochemistry workup. However, electron microscopy reports a characteristic abnormal glomerular deposit, coupled with clinical and biochemical data that guided our therapeutic protocol.In a middle-aged female who presented with recurrent gross hematuria and nephrotic range proteinuria, we should suspect a glomerular pathology. Further to immunoglobulin A nephropathy or lupus nephritis, particularly in presence of complement abnormalities and negative serology for glomerulopathy-related autoantibodies, dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis that are rare complement mediated glomerulopathy should be considered as a seronegative lupus nephritis-equivalent, in terms of their membranoproliferative features on light microscopy, and when setting out appropriate therapeutic protocol. Patient and family counseling for C3 glomerulopathy is essential because this type of glomerulopathy has a recurrence rate after kidney transplant.

HIV prevention - Challenges in reaching Libyan women: A narrative review.

Introduction:The need to effectively communicate HIV/AIDS prevention messages in Libya, where HIV prevalence is relatively low yet increasing, cannot be overstressed. A review of the literature on HIV prevalence, risk factors, stigma and awareness found that there is a lack of HIV research, information and support in the country. This is particularly true regarding women, who account for 25%–30% of people living with HIV in Libya.Aim:Drawing on the various literature, this narrative review will (1) present a historical trajectory of Libyan women and their role in society and (2) identify some challenges that HIV prevention programmes face in reaching Libyan women.Methods:Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Cochrane Library were searched for English and Arabic language articles. Primary research studies and official reports indicating a discussion or research on HIV in Libya and Libyan women were considered. Reference lists of articles were reviewed to identify additional studies. Thirty-seven articles dating from 1987 to 2021 were selected and critically appraised.Results:There is a lack of sufficient information within the existing literature, but the gathered literature did reveal some significant insights. Factors such as limited sexual health education, inadequate medical services, social and cultural restrictions and stigma, as well as limited agency, were identified as potential barriers to women accessing crucial information on HIV.Conclusion:The article found that the HIV prevention efforts that have been carried out in Libya may be compromised as they were not designed to recognize and adhere to sociocultural norms that impact on Libyan women’s scope for choice and agency. By understanding the interplay between gender, social and structural factors in Libya, a model of better adjusted prevention and early intervention activities could be developed; a toolkit that conceptualizes the culture and that appreciates the role of a Libyan woman is changing.

Synchronous Invasive Breast Carcinoma, Endometrial Cancer and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma in a 49 Year-old Female Libyan Patient: Case Report and Literature Review

Although breast cancer and endometrial cancer are two frequent female cancers, finding synchronous primary cancers in the same patient is a comparatively uncommon occurrence. We present the case of a Libyan woman who developed synchronous breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and small lymphocytic lymphoma. For the previous six months, a 49-year-old female patient had a right breast mass. An ultrasound scan revealed an uneven doubtful growth in the right breast as well as swollen of the axillary lymph nodes. After a wide local excision, histopathology revealed that the patient had invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with a positive resection margin, and he was admitted to the Surgery Department. No distal metastasis was seen on a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest, abdomen, or pelvis, so the patient had a right mastectomy and axillary clearance. Residual invasive ductal carcinoma was found on histopathology and immunohistochemistry with positivity for the estrogen receptor and the progesterone receptor. Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) affected the axillary lymph nodes, affirmed by immunohistochemical staining positive for CD20, CD5, CD23 and BCL-2 while negative for CD3 and Cyclin D1. Resection margins were free. Second cancers are characterized by being linked to SCL, and some researchers have described that the risk of second cancers is elevated in SCL patients. We represent a combined case of synchronous primary SCL with breast cancer and endometrial cancer in a woman which is a rare occurrence.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas in Patient with Graft Versus-Host Disease Following Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Case Report during Mutant COVID-19 Pandemic

Aplastic anaemia is a severe haematological disorder characterized by an inadequate number of hematopoietic stem cells, resulting in pancytopenia, formed by a hypocellular bone marrow. Disorders of this nature are widely treated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A potential chronic complication following (HSCT) is the growth of secondary malignancies. Notably, patients suffering from chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD) secondary to HSCT have been shown to be more susceptible to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, we present a rare case of a 30-year-old Libyan woman treated with HSCT for aplastic anaemia, with subsequent complications of cGvHD and OSCC after few months of HSCT. These carcinomatous lesions were detected in the buccal gingiva and retromolar pad area at the age of 31. The present case report emphasizes the connection between oral cGvHD and OSCC, and the potential appearance of OSCC after HSCT at any time of patient life. Thus, closer follow-up is mandatory for all patients treated with HSCT who developed cGvHD, and efficient cGvHD prevention and therapeutic approaches are needed.

'Psychosis of civilization': a colonial-situated diagnosis.

In the late 1930s, when colonial psychiatry was well established in the Maghreb, the diagnosis 'psychosis of civilization' appeared in some psychiatrists' writings. Through the clinical case of a Libyan woman treated by the Italian psychiatrist Angelo Bravi in Tripoli, this article explores its emergence and its specificity in a differential approach, and highlights its main characteristics. The term applied to subjects poised between two worlds: incapable of becoming 'like' Europeans - a goal to which they seem to aspire - but too far from their 'ancestral habits' to revert for a quiet life. The visits of these subjects to colonial psychiatric institutions, provided valuable new material for psychiatrists: to see how colonization impacted inner life and to raise awareness of the long-term socio-political dangers.

Takayasu's arteritis in a Libyan female

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a large-vessel vasculitis that involves the aorta and its major branches. Renal arteries are frequently involved, usually with renovascular hypertension. The prevalence of TA in Arabs is low. A study of the epidemiological and clinical features of TA in Arabs included 197 identified patients between 1995 and 2012 and none of them was Libyan. We report a 61-year-old Libyan woman in whom TA manifested with hypokalemia and arterial hypertension. Previous ultrasound showed renal size asymmetry raised the possibility of renal artery stenosis. The diagnosis of TA was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography, which showed a thickened abdominal aortic wall, occlusions of the left renal artery and left common iliac artery, stenosis of the right common iliac artery, and stenosis of both subclavian arteries. TA is rarely encountered in Arabs. However, the disease must be considered in patients who present with renovascular hypertension, in a context of other autoimmune disorders.

Ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the carotid sheath

Parathyroid adenomas can be found in various ectopic positions including the carotid sheath. We report a 52-year-old Libyan woman who presented with neck mass and a fragility fracture. Her serum Calcium was elevated (14.3 mg/dl), as well as her parathyroid hormone (1202 pg/ml). Technetium-99m-sestamibi scan showed a large localized parathyroid adenoma at the upper lateral left aspect of the neck just below the left submandibular gland. The patient underwent surgical resection, and the histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma. The rarity of the ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the carotid sheath led to a delayed diagnosis of this case. Therefore, ectopic parathyroid adenoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses that arise from the carotid sheath.

A pyoderma gangrenous-like cutaneous leishmaniasis in a Libyan woman with rheumatoid arthritis: a case report

BackgroundSeveral case reports describe diseases presenting with skin ulcerations, which resemble pyoderma gangrenosum especially in immune-compromised patients, often proven on further workup, to have an infective or malignant etiology. However, treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum by systemic steroids or other immunosuppressive agents may worsen the condition.Case presentationWe report here, a 45 year-old Libyan woman with rheumatoid arthritis on low dose steroids with pyoderma gangrenosum-like skin lesions and positive pathergy. Slit–smear was positive for Leishmania amastigotes and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The lesions healed completely by parenteral sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) 600 mg daily.ConclusionWe report for the first time, a rare and unusual presentation of pyoderma gangrenosum like-cutaneous leishmaniasis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis should not be ruled out in the differential diagnosis of unresponsive skin diseases, with slit/smear and a skin biopsy is required.

Hydatid pericardial tamponade: a grape soup

A 35-year-old Libyan woman was referred to us from another institution with the diagnosis of massive pericardial effusion and pericardial tamponade. On admission to us, she was hypotensive, tachycardic and tachypnoeic. Electrocardiography showed unspecific low QRS voltage and ST-T segment flattening. Chest x-ray showed cardiomegaly. We did an emergency pericardial aspiration which yielded 1500 ml of yellow coloured fluid. A transthoracic echocardiogrm showed multiple cystic formations approximately 1·5–2 cm within the pericardial cavity (figure A), and confirmed the need for surgery. We did a standard median sternotomy and thoroughly irrigated the pericardium with hypertonic saline; multiple cysts were removed from the pericardium (figures B and C). Our patient was diagnosed with a ruptured intrapericardial hydatid cyst and pericardial tamponade. We established the diagnosis based on the gross appearance of the removed cysts, the echocardiogram results, and a high ESR. Hydatid disease is endemic in Libya, a southern Mediterranean country. Serological tests were not available. After surgery she was treated with oral albendazole for 12 days. She recovered well and was discharged 12 days after surgery. Pericardial tamponade due to hydatid disease is a rare condition that has been seldom reported in the literature.

Cutaneous and paranasal aspergillosis in an immunocompetent patient

A 26-year-old Libyan woman presented with asymptomatic nodulo-ulcerative skin lesions present for 1 year. Three years prior to presentation, she had experienced a nasal discharge followed by the development of a nodule in the nasal cavity and a plaque on the hard palate. These lesions had gradually increased in size and ulcerated, resulting in perforation of the nasal septum and palate. Two years later, the patient noticed the appearance of skin lesions: a nodule on the right thumb and numerous nodulo-ulcerative lesions on the extremities. General physical examination was normal with no significant lymphadenopathy. Examination of the oral cavity revealed perforation of the distal nasal septum, with a perforated nodular plaque involving the entire palate, associated with subluxation of the upper incisors (Fig. 1a). On skin examination, multiple firm nodules and nodulo-ulcerative lesions with a central eschar and raised margins were observed. The lesions ranged in size from 0.5 to 5 cm and were distributed on the right hand and fingers, left upper arm (Fig. 1b), left calf, and right thigh. Routine laboratory investigations (liver function tests, serum calcium, electrolytes, lipid profile, urine and stool culture studies) were normal. Immunoelectrophoresis disclosed normal levels of immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, and IgM. Serologic studies for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis, and a tuberculin test, were all negative. A Giemsa-stained tissue smear was negative for Leishmania tropica organisms. Radiological studies disclosed a slight haziness of the maxillary sinuses with perforation of the nasal septum. A chest X-ray was normal. Histopathologic examination of biopsies taken from both the palate and from ulcerated and nonulcerated skin lesions was performed, and all showed similar findings. The biopsy of a nonulcerated skin lesion showed pseudoepitheliomatous epidermal hyperplasia with neutrophilic microabscesses (Fig. 2a). A dermal diffuse and nodular granulomatous mixed infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, giant cells, numerous eosinophils, and neutrophilic microabscesses was seen in all tissues examined. Septate hyphae were present both within giant cells and free in the dermis (Fig. 2b). The hyphae were branching at a 45 degrees angle and were positive on periodic acid-Schiff and Grocott methenamine silver stains (Fig. 2c). Fungal culture studies of material taken from an ulcerated skin lesion grew Aspergillus flavus. Blood cultures were negative for Aspergillus sp. or other microorganisms. The patient was treated with intravenous amphotericin B, but the medication was discontinued due to her intolerance to the drug. She was subsequently lost to follow-up.

Segmental portal hypertension due to a splenic Echinococcus cyst

A 60-year-old Libyan woman developed perihilar splenic varices without other signs of portal hypertension. Plain abdominal X-ray examination showed two calcified structures in the left and right hypochondria. Ultrasound examination disclosed a 3-cm diameter, globally calcified hydatid cyst lodged in a critical location at the hilar region of the spleen. The cyst was compressing the hilar vessels which resulted in dilatation and varix formation. Another hydatid cyst measuring 5 cm in diameter, with extensive wall calcification was visualized in the right lobe of the liver. The splenic size was within normal limits. The liver revealed normal texture and size and the portal vein was of normal caliber. The patient underwent an uneventful splenectomy and was well at discharge.