Rare Virus Shamonda Found in Human for First Time, Linked to French Man's Death
The virus, previously only known to affect cattle and other livestock, has been detected in a man in France who died in October.
The Shamonda virus, which typically causes fever, diarrhea, and reproductive issues in cattle, has been identified in a human for the first time, linked to the death of a man in France in early October. The individual was reportedly bitten by a midge, a known carrier of the virus, in eastern France.
Until this case, the Shamonda virus, also known as Shav, was not considered transmissible to humans. Authorities noted that the patient was severely immunocompromised, making them more susceptible to infections. Health officials have characterized this as an exceptional case, emphasizing that there is currently no widespread risk to the public.
Despite the limited public health concern, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization are monitoring the situation. Experts acknowledge a minimal risk that the virus could evolve within an immunocompromised host to become more easily transmissible to humans, though the death of this patient reduces that possibility.
Shamonda virus primarily affects cattle but has also been found in sheep, horses, goats, and alpacas. It was first detected in Europe in July and has since been identified in several countries, including Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland. The virus was also confirmed among cattle in Jersey last month, indicating its presence in the British Isles and its potential to spread across northwestern Europe.
Experts, including Dr. Ben Brennan from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, have stated that this finding is a significant scientific development but does not indicate a substantial risk to healthy individuals. Professor Paul Hunter, a medicine expert at the University of East Anglia, suggested that Shamonda virus has historically been more prevalent in less economically developed regions, meaning prior human cases might have gone undetected. He also noted that while the risk of person-to-person transmission is currently very small, it is not zero, and infections in immunocompromised individuals may not clear effectively, potentially allowing for viral evolution.