The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the first documented human infection with Shamonda virus in France after a patient died following the infection.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the case on Thursday, October 22, noting that the patient was immunocompromised, making them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease.
“The first documented human infection with Shamonda virus has been reported in France. The patient was immunocompromised, making them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease, and unfortunately died,” read part of the announcement.
Shamonda virus has previously been detected in animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and horses. It is believed to spread among animals through the bites of Culicoides midges, small fly-like insects.
WHO Probes Shamonda Virus After First Human Infection in France
According to Tedros, the patient lived in an area where the virus was circulating among animals and where the midges were present. However, further studies are needed to establish how the person became infected and determine the possible route of transmission.
The WHO said it was in contact with French authorities, who are gathering information to establish the source of the infection, how the virus may have spread to humans and whether it poses any potential risk to public health.
The case marks the first documented human infection with the virus, which had previously been identified only in animals.
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What You Need to Know About the Virus
According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), scientists first isolated Shamonda virus from cattle in Nigeria in 1965 and have since detected it in parts of Africa and Asia.
The virus belongs to the Orthobunyavirus genus within the Peribunyaviridae family and is part of the Simbu serogroup, which also includes Schmallenberg virus.
Shamonda virus has mainly been reported in cattle, but infections have also been identified in horses, alpacas, sheep and goats.
According to WOAH, European outbreaks reported in 2026 have been linked to two variants: Shamonda virus Europe 1 (SHAV-EU1) and Shamonda virus Europe 2 (SHAV-EU2).
In animals, reported clinical signs include fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production. The infection may also cause reproductive complications, including abortions and foetal malformations.
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Neurological disorders have been reported less frequently, including in some horses. However, the full impact of the variants circulating in Europe remains uncertain.
There are currently no commercially available vaccines against Shamonda virus. According to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), existing immunity to Schmallenberg virus appears to offer little cross-protection against Shamonda virus, although the implications of this finding remain unclear.
The risk of infection can be reduced by controlling Culicoides midges during periods when the insects are active.
Measures include installing fine-mesh screens and double-door entry and exit systems to prevent the insects from entering buildings, reducing or eliminating breeding sites, and monitoring and controlling vectors around animal housing.
Other precautions include using insect repellents when transporting animals and scheduling transportation during periods of low midge activity to reduce the likelihood of exposure.
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