A virus previously confined to animals, the Shamonda virus, has been detected in a human for the first time, drawing wide attention. French health authorities have confirmed that a man infected with the virus died in the first week of October. The victim, from eastern France, was seriously ill and had severely weakened immunity.
The man is believed to have contracted the virus through the bite of an insect, possibly a fly or midge. Investigators are examining whether the virus caused his death or whether a pre-existing illness was responsible.
Shamonda belongs to the Orthobunyavirus genus and was first identified in Nigeria in the 1960s. It mainly affects cattle, sheep and goats, causing high fever, watery diarrhoea and weakness, along with a significant drop in milk yield. In pregnant animals, it can lead to reproductive problems and foetal defects.
A new variant of the virus has recently spread among dairy cattle in Germany and Switzerland. French officials described the human case as very rare.
According to the authorities, there is no evidence of the virus spreading from person to person, and it poses no immediate threat to the general public. No official vaccine is currently available.