France reports first human case of Shamonda virus, says no public health risk

French health authorities on Thursday reported the first known human case of the Shamonda virus which primarily affects livestock in a severely immunocompromised patient who died earlier this month news agency AFP reportedThe health and agriculture ministries said in a joint statement that no risk to the general public had been identified so far They described the infection as an exceptional case involving a patient who was severely immunocompromised and had been hospitalised for a serious medical conditionldquoDespite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades the Shamonda virus has never previously been detected in humansrdquo the ministries saidThe virus belongs to the Orthobunyavirus group and is generally transmitted to animals through the bites of small insects It was detected in Europe for the first time this summer the authorities saidAccording to the preliminary findings of the investigation the patient is believed to have contracted the infection after being bitten by a midge in eastern France where the virus had been circulating among animals during spring and summerThe ministries said the neurological complications observed in the patient before his death were likely linked to the Shamonda virus infection However they cautioned that clinical biological and epidemiological investigations were still underwayShamonda virus detected in 14 European countriesThe Shamonda virus was first identified in Nigeria in the mid1960s Since then it has been reported in cattle in several parts of Africa and in JapanThe virus was detected in Europe for the first time at the end of July including on cattle farms in France It has since been identified in 14 Western European countries according to an epidemiological bulletin issued by Francersquos national research institute responsible for monitoring animal healthCattle are considered the virusrsquos primary animal hosts Sporadic infections in smaller livestock and horses were also reported in France during the summerIn cattle the infection can cause acute diarrhoea fever lethargy and a decline in milk productionInvestigations into the human case are continuing The World Health Organization WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC have also been notified the French ministries saidFrance has reported the first documented case of a human infection with Shamonda virus a virus only previously detected in animals The patient was immunocompromised which made them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease and unfortunately died My heartfelt condolences to their loved ones Shamonda virus primarily affects animals such as cattle sheep goats and horses The virus is thought to spread between animals by the bites of a midge which is a small flylike insect Further studies are needed to fully understand transmission The French patient was in an area where the Shamonda virus was circulating in animals and where Culicoides midges were also present WHO is in contact with French authorities who are collecting information to better understand the source of infection in the first human patient possible routes of transmission and any potential risk to public healthmdash Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus DrTedros October 22 2026Later in the day Tedros Ghebreyesus WHO DirectorGeneral said that the international public health is in contact with French authoritiesWith AFP inputs