Shamonda Virus Affecting Livestock Transmitted to a Human

France has recorded what was described as the first known human infection with the Shamonda virus, which had previously been considered a virus affecting only animals.

According to Reuters, a patient who was receiving hospital treatment died from the illness in early October.

The Shamonda virus belongs to the same group of infections as the Schmallenberg and Akabane viruses, which have long been known to affect livestock.

The patient is believed to have contracted the infection in eastern France, where widespread cases of the virus among livestock had been recorded during the spring and summer of 2026.

The infection is transmitted mainly through insect bites and most commonly affects cattle.

The virus was first identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s. It was later recorded among animals in other parts of Africa and in Japan.