What is Shamonda virus? How is it transmitted? ECDC monitoring situation as France reports first, rare human case

On Thursday, the health authorities in France shared that the Shamonda virus has been detected in a human for the first time. The rare case has been detected in a patient with severely compromised immunity levels, who died earlier in October, reported AFP.

France detects first human case of Shamonda virus

The health and agriculture ministries assured that “no health risk to the general public” has been identified in a joint statement. It added that the human infection seems to be “an exceptional case involving a severely immunocompromised patient” who was hospitalised for a serious medical condition.

“Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, the Shamonda virus has never previously been detected in humans,” the ministries said, quoting the agency.

What is Shamonda virus

Shamonda virus typically affects livestock, particularly cattle. It belongs to the Orthobunyavirus group, the same group of viruses as Schmallenberg virus (SBV).

While the disease has been reportedly observed mainly in cattle, it can also be found in sheep, goats, alpacas and horses across European countries.

How it Shamonda virus can be transmitted

Shamonda virus is typically transmitted to animals via small biting insects. It was first detected in Europe this summer, as per the authorities.

The patient reportedly contracted the virus through the bite of a midge in eastern France, where the virus was circulating in animals during the spring and summer, the ministries said.

“The neurological complications observed in the immunocompromised patient prior to his death are very likely linked to infection with the Shamonda virus,” as per the authorities, based on preliminary findings.

But “clinical, biological and epidemiological investigations are still ongoing”, they added.

Symptoms of Shamonda virus

Shamonda virus symptoms can be fever, diarrhoea, fatigue and a reduction in milk production, as per UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.

However, the virus is said to be not fatal for cattle, reported Independent citing the British Agriculture Bureau.

History of the livestock virus in Europe

The Shamonda virus was first identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s. Since then the virus has been detected in animals of Africa and Japan. However, it is now spreading among several European countries this year.

Despite its previous circulation in Africa and Asia, the virus has now only seen in Europe over the summer. For the unversed, no human cases of the Shamonda virus had been ever documented across the world until now in France.