France has confirmed the first human case of the Shamonda virus in a patient who died in early October. This patient, who had a severely weakened immune system, was being treated for another serious illness that had put them at risk of infection and complications.
Complications from the Virus
French health officials announced that the neurological complications observed in this patient before death are likely linked to infection with the Shamonda virus. This case has been recognized as "an exceptional case in a patient with a high immune system" and it has been emphasized that there is no health risk to the general population.
Risks from Zoonotic Viruses
Health officials emphasized the possibility of disease transmission from animals to humans, stating that this could lead to the next pandemic. Currently, over 60% of the threats from emerging infectious diseases have zoonotic origins. This includes diseases such as COVID-19 and Ebola.
The Shamonda virus, which is transmitted through the bites of infected flies among animals, was first identified this year in European farm animals. This virus had previously only been identified in non-European countries, particularly in Africa. It is primarily observed in cattle, but there have also been infection cases in horses, sheep, goats, and an alpaca.
Since the summer, the Shamonda virus has been identified in farm animals in various European countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland. In cattle, symptoms of this virus include fever, diarrhea, lethargy, reduced milk production, and mild respiratory symptoms.
It is still unclear whether the virus caused the patient's death or contributed to it, and the method of infection transmission is also not known. French officials believe that the patient may have been infected through a fly bite in eastern France, where the virus has been circulating in animals since spring.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has stated that it is "closely monitoring the situation" and is in communication with French authorities and European partners to "assess the public health implications of this first human infection."
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