First Human Case Of Shamonda Virus Confirmed In France, Patient Dies; WHO Says No Risk To General Population At This Stage

PARIS / GENEVA:For the first time in history, a human infection with the Shamonda virus, a virus previously found only in livestock, has been confirmed. France reported the case on Thursday after a patient who later died tested positive, with authorities adding there was no risk to the general population at this stage.

 The patient was a man in his 60s living in the Lyon area who had been receiving treatment for a serious illness that made him more susceptible to infection than the general population, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said. He died in early October.

 "This is therefore an exceptional case involving a severely immunocompromised patient," the French health ministry said, adding that no public health risk has been identified for the general public to date.

 It is suspected that the victim was bitten by a midge carrying the virus in eastern France, where it had circulated among animals during spring and summer this year, the government said in a statement.

 WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X: "France has reported the first documented case of a human infection with Shamonda virus, a virus previously detected only in animals. The patient was immunocompromised, which made them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease, and unfortunately died."

 "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 fly-like insect. Further studies are needed to fully understand transmission."

 The WHO said it was in contact with French authorities to better understand the source of infection, possible routes of transmission, and any potential risk to public health.

 "Based on current information and knowledge of the transmission of closely related viruses, this is an isolated human case and it is unlikely to lead to wider spread at this time," the WHO said in a statement to Reuters.

What is Shamonda virus?

 Shamonda is transmitted by biting midges and mainly affects cattle, though it has also been found in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas. First detected in Nigeria in the mid-1960s, it has been reported sporadically in parts of Africa and Japan. It was identified for the first time in Europe this summer, in cattle in southern Germany, Switzerland and eastern France, and by October 20 has been reported in more than a dozen European countries.