Shamonda virus detected in human for first time in France; patient dies

French health authorities have detected the Shamonda virus, which primarily affects livestock, in a human for the first time. The patient, who was severely immunocompromised and receiving treatment for a serious illness, died in Lyon in early October, authorities said. There is currently no identified health risk to the general population, according to the French authorities. Investigations into the case are continuing. The French agriculture ministry said the case was an exceptional one involving a severely immunocompromised patient. Until now, the virus had been considered non-transmissible to humans. According to investigations conducted so far, the patient’s brain complications before death were very likely linked to the Shamonda virus infection, the ministry said.

How the patient may have contracted the virus

The leading hypothesis is that the patient was infected through an insect bite in eastern France, where the virus had been circulating among animals during the spring and summer of 2026. The suspected carrier is the Culicoides midge, a tiny biting insect known to transmit the virus. However, the circumstances of the infection are still being investigated. Clinical, laboratory and epidemiological investigations are ongoing. French authorities are also in contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), according to the ministry.

What is the Shamonda virus?

The Shamonda virus is an insect-borne virus belonging to the Orthobunyavirus group. It is primarily associated with livestock, particularly cattle, and is transmitted by biting midges. The virus was first identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s. Since then, it has been detected sporadically in animals across parts of Africa and in Japan. In cattle, infection can cause fever, lethargy and diarrhoea. Dairy cows may also experience a significant decline in milk production, according to Belgium’s national public health institute, Sciensano. Although cattle are considered the main animal hosts, infections have also been reported in small ruminants and horses in France, according to Euronews.

Virus detected in Europe this year

The Shamonda virus was detected in Western Europe for the first time this summer, with cases reported in southern Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. The virus had previously been known to affect animals, and the French case marks the first documented detection in a human. French authorities said no health risk to the general population had been identified based on current knowledge of the virus. Investigations are continuing to establish the circumstances of the infection and its link to the patient’s illness.