French health authorities have reported the first known human case of the Shamonda virus (Shav), a disease previously known to affect animals. The patient died in early October after being treated for a serious illness, raising questions about how the virus can affect humans.
However, officials have sought to reassure the public, describing the infection as an exceptional case involving a severely immunocompromised patient. They said there was currently no risk to the wider public as investigations into the case continued.
The Shamonda virus primarily affects cattle and is transmitted through the bites of infected midges, which are small flying insects.
It has also been detected in other animals, including sheep, goats, alpacas and horses. Until now, human infections had not been reported despite the virus circulating among animals in parts of Africa and Asia for decades.
According to France's health and agriculture ministries, the patient is believed to have contracted the virus through a midge bite in eastern France. The region had reported animal infections earlier in the year, providing a possible link to the human case.
The patient had been receiving treatment for a serious underlying illness at a hospital in Lyon. Health officials said the individual developed neurological complications that were considered very likely to be linked to the virus, based on preliminary findings.
Authorities stressed that the patient's weakened immune system may have increased their vulnerability to the infection. Investigators are now working to establish how the virus crossed from animals to humans and whether the case has any wider public health implications.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said it was monitoring the situation in cooperation with French and other European partners. The agency is assessing the available evidence to determine whether the infection could pose any potential risks to public health.
The first Shamonda virus cases in Europe were identified in late July, according to the ECDC. Since then, the virus has been detected in farm animals in several European countries, including Ireland, Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as the Channel Island of Jersey.
In cattle, the infection can cause fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production, potentially affecting dairy farmers and livestock productivity.
The case has also been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), as health authorities continue their investigations.
