France Reports First Human Case of Livestock Virus, Patient Dies
Health officials stated there is no current risk to the general population, despite the discovery of the Shamonda virus in a patient who died in early October.
France has reported its first human case of the Shamonda virus, a pathogen typically found in livestock, following the death of a patient in early October. Authorities have indicated that there is no perceived risk to the general population at this stage.
The victim, a man in his 60s residing in the Lyon area, is suspected to have been bitten by an infected midge. The virus had been circulating among animals in eastern France during the spring and summer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated it is in communication with French health authorities regarding the outbreak. "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.
The French government reiterated that no health risk to the public had been identified. The Shamonda virus is transmitted by biting midges and is most commonly found in cattle, although it has also been detected in horses, alpacas, sheep, and goats, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
The virus is not classified as a disease under the EU Animal Health Law and is not subject to official surveillance or control measures. It was first identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s and was confirmed in Europe in late July after genomic tests on sick cattle in southern Germany, Switzerland, and eastern France. France's weekly animal health surveillance bulletin noted its detection in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Jersey.
In animals, the Shamonda virus can cause symptoms including diarrhea, weakness, and loss of appetite, and less commonly, fever. A study on nine French dairy farms indicated a significant drop in milk production, up to 75%, among affected cattle.
The patient who died had been receiving treatment for a serious illness that made them more susceptible to infection than the general population, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.