Explanation: What is Shamonda virus? WHO says first human case reported in France – risks to humans and animals cited | Today’s news
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that France had reported the first documented case of human infection with the Shamonda virus, a virus previously detected only in animals.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared details of the case in a post on social media, the “unknown” patient died of the infection in early October.
“The patient was immunocompromised, which made him more vulnerable to infection and severe illness, and unfortunately he passed away. My condolences to their loved ones,” he wrote on social media.
The Director General of the WHO further informed that the French patient was in an area where the Shamonda virus was circulating in animals and where Culicoides midges were also present.
“The World Health Organization is in contact with French authorities who are gathering information to better understand the source of infection in the first human patient, the possible routes of transmission and any potential risks to public health,” Tedros said.
What is Shamonda virus?
Shamonda virus is mainly found in farm animals, especially cattle, sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.
It belongs to the same group as the Schmallenberg virus, which causes reproductive disorders in farm animals, Reuters reported.
How does the Shamonda virus spread?
The virus is believed to spread between animals through the bite of a midge, a small fly-like insect. More studies are needed to fully understand transmission, according to the WHO.
Is there any risk to the public?
According to the United Nations, French authorities have said that no health risk to the general public has yet been identified.
One patient who died from the virus was in an area where the virus circulated among animals and where Culicoides midges were present, the WHO said.
In which other countries has the Shamonda virus been detected?
First detected in cattle in Nigeria in 1965, it has since been found in parts of Africa and Asia.
First detected in Europe in late July, by October 20 cases had been reported in more than a dozen European countries, including top livestock producers France, Germany, Spain and Ireland.
France said the virus had likely been spreading in the country since spring.
The most recent was the first case where the virus was detected in a human.
How dangerous is the Shamonda virus for animals?
Symptoms include fever, diarrhea and reduced milk production.
More serious complications include miscarriages and severe fetal malformations. Neurological disorders have also been reported in some horses.
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) says the long-term impact of European variants remains uncertain.
How dangerous is the Shamonda virus for humans?
The first documented patient (in France) was being treated for a serious illness at a hospital in Lyon and had a severely weakened immune system, Reuters reported.
The United Nations World Health Organization said that based on current information and knowledge about the transmission of closely related viruses, this is an isolated case in humans and is unlikely to lead to a wider spread at this time.
French authorities suspect the infection came through a mosquito bite in eastern France, where the virus circulated among livestock earlier this year.
They said the patient’s brain complications were very likely linked to Shamonda, although investigations into the infection and death are ongoing.
Is there a vaccine against the Shamonda virus?
According to the internationally recognized World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), there are currently no commercially available vaccines against the Shamonda virus.
What is the current status?
Shamonda is not a disease on the WOAH list and therefore countries do not have to report cases to WOAH as part of its disease-specific reporting obligations.
It is not even listed under EU animal health legislation, meaning it is not subject to mandatory EU surveillance for specific diseases.
For this reason, the available data may not provide a complete picture of its distribution.
(With inputs from Reuters)
