French health authorities have confirmed the first documented human infection with Shamonda virus, following the death of a severely immunocompromised patient who contracted the virus.
The patient, who was receiving treatment for a serious illness at a hospital in Lyon, eastern France, died in early October, according to a joint statement by the country’s health and agriculture ministries on Thursday.
Authorities described the infection as an exceptional case, noting that Shamonda virus had circulated in animals for decades without any previously documented human infections.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the patient may have contracted the virus through the bite of an infected Culicoides midge in eastern France, where the virus was detected in animals during the spring and summer of 2026.
The authorities said neurological complications observed in the patient before death were likely linked to the infection. However, investigations are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the case and the extent to which the virus contributed to the patient’s death.
Despite the development, French authorities said no health risk to the general population had been identified based on current scientific knowledge.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) confirmed the case and said it was working with French authorities and other European partners to assess its potential public health implications.
Virus First Detected in Nigeria
Shamonda virus belongs to the Orthobunyavirus group and is primarily known to infect animals, particularly cattle. It is transmitted between animals through the bites of infected midges.
According to French authorities, the virus was first detected in Nigeria in the mid-1960s and has since been reported sporadically in cattle across parts of Africa and Japan.
The virus was identified in European livestock for the first time in 2026, with animal infections reported in several countries.
The ECDC said the virus had been detected in farm animals in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, as well as Jersey.
The emergence of the first documented human infection has prompted further investigations into the virus’s potential implications for human health.
French authorities have notified international health organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), while clinical, laboratory and epidemiological investigations continue.
Health officials have urged continued monitoring as experts work to establish how the infection occurred and whether it has any wider implications for public health.
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