Shamonda Virus Infected and Killed a Person for the First Time. Here's What to Know About the Pathogen Usually Found in Livestock
The patient, a French man in his 60s with leukemia, died earlier this month. Health officials say the risk to the public is low
French authorities announced this month the first recorded human case of the Shamonda virus, which resulted in a man's death on October 9 after developing neurological symptoms just 16 days prior. The victim, a 60-year-old leukemia patient, experienced blindness and confusion before succumbing to the virus. French health officials deemed the case exceptional due to the patient's severely compromised immune system and emphasized that there is no risk of transmission to the general public.
The Shamonda virus, a member of the orthobunyaviruses family, is primarily transmitted to livestock through midges. It has been detected in cattle, sheep, horses, goats, and alpacas in Africa and Japan, and recently emerged in Europe, primarily affecting dairy cows and horses in Western Europe. No treatments or vaccines currently exist for the virus.
Scientists are uncertain about the transmission methods, as midges typically do not feed on animals, suggesting a possible alternative mode of transmission, such as mosquitoes. The risk to the public is deemed low, as the infected individual was already severely immunocompromised, and no evidence of person-to-person transmission has been found.
Experts suggest monitoring and testing for the virus in both humans and animals to ensure ongoing surveillance.
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