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France reports first human case of livestock virus Shamonda
Reuters • • general
Key Points:
- France has reported the first known human case of the Shamonda virus, typically found in livestock, in a patient who later died; authorities currently see no risk to the general population.
- The virus, transmitted by biting midges, affects cattle and other animals such as horses, alpacas, sheep, and goats, and was first identified in Nigeria in the 1960s before appearing in Europe in 2023.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is monitoring the situation closely and investigating the potential public health implications, noting the deceased patient had a pre-existing serious illness.
- Shamonda virus has been detected across multiple European countries, causing significant impacts on livestock, including up to a 75% drop in milk production on affected French dairy farms.
- There are currently no commercially available vaccines for Shamonda virus, and investigations continue into how the human infection was acquired and its role in the patient’s death.
