France confirms first Shamonda virus infection in a human death of 'severely immunocompromised' individual
French health officials have confirmed the first-ever human infection with the Shamonda virus, which resulted in the death of a severely immunocompromised patient earlier this month.
French health authorities confirmed on Thursday that they had detected the Shamonda virus in a human, marking the first-ever case of this livestock disease infecting people. The patient, who was severely immunocompromised, died early this month. Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for decades, the Shamonda virus had never previously been detected in humans.
Virus transmission
First identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s, the Shamonda virus is an insect-borne variant of the Orthobunyavirus genus, which contains 138 species and primarily affects livestock, particularly cattle. It is transmitted by culicoides, or biting midges.
Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, the Shamonda virus has never previously been detected in humans.
Investigation ongoing
The virus has been detected in animals in Africa and Japan for years and has been spreading across Europe this year. French authorities believe the human case resulted from vector-borne transmission via a culicoid midge bite in eastern France, where the virus was circulating among animals in spring and summer 2026.
Biological, clinical and epidemiological investigations are being conducted by experts in human, animal and environmental health. Authorities at the World Health Organization and European Center for Disease Control have been notified of the incident.
No health risk to the general public has been identified at this time, with officials describing the case as 'an exceptional case involving a severely immunocompromised patient.'
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