France has reported its first known human case of Shamonda virus following the death of an infected patient, authorities said on Thursday (22 October). The virus, typically found in livestock, is believed to have been transmitted by a biting midge.
The infection is thought to have been caused by the bite of an infected midge in eastern France, where the virus circulated among livestock during the spring and summer.
The patient was being treated for a serious underlying illness that increased his vulnerability to infection, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). French newspaper Le Progrès reported that the man was in his 60s and lived near Lyon.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was in contact with French authorities but assessed the risk of wider transmission as low.
“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.
French authorities said they had identified no risk to public health.
Shamonda virus is transmitted by biting Culicoides midges and is primarily found in cattle, although infections have also been reported in horses, alpacas, sheep and goats.
First isolated from cattle in Nigeria in 1965, the virus was detected in Europe for the first time in late July 2026, following genomic testing of sick cattle in southern Germany, Switzerland and eastern France.
Subsequent surveillance identified the virus in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Jersey, according to France’s animal health surveillance bulletin.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said the 2026 European outbreaks involved two variants, known as Shamonda virus Europe 1 and Shamonda virus Europe 2.
The scale and long-term impact of the virus’s spread remain uncertain. WOAH said differences in surveillance and laboratory evidence between countries made it difficult to determine the full extent of the outbreaks.
In cattle, symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, weakness, loss of appetite and reduced milk production. The 2026 European outbreaks have also been associated with reproductive complications, including abortions and foetal malformations.
Milk production dropped by as much as 75 per cent in a study involving nine French dairy farms, according to French animal health authorities.
However, the full impact of the European variants is still unclear. Laboratory testing is needed to confirm infections because the symptoms can resemble those caused by other diseases.
Shamonda virus belongs to the genus Orthobunyavirus and the Simbu serogroup, which also includes Schmallenberg virus. It has not historically been recognised as a cause of human disease, and scientists still know little about its ability to infect people.
WOAH is working with the WHO and scientific networks to better understand the virus and assess potential threats to human and animal health.
No commercially available vaccines against Shamonda virus currently exist.
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