What Is the Shamonda Virus and What Are the Risks to Humans and Animals?

The patient, who died, had been receiving treatment for a serious illness at a hospital in Lyon and had a severely weakened immune system. French authorities suspect the infection was acquired through the bite of a biting midge in eastern France, where the virus had circulated among livestock earlier this year.

Investigations into the infection and death are continuing.

What Is the Shamonda Virus?

Shamonda is a virus transmitted by biting midges that primarily affects cattle. Infections have also been identified in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.

It belongs to the same virus group as Schmallenberg virus, which is associated with reproductive problems in livestock.

The virus was first detected in cattle in Nigeria in 1965 and has since been identified in parts of Africa and Asia.

Where Has the Virus Spread?

The virus was first identified in Europe in late July 2026. By October 20, cases had been reported in more than a dozen European countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Ireland.

French authorities said the virus had likely been circulating in the country since spring, before the first known human case was reported.

Its spread across Europe has raised concerns about the potential impact on livestock health, particularly in countries with large cattle-farming industries.

How Dangerous Is Shamonda for Animals?

Shamonda virus can cause a range of symptoms in infected animals, including fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production.

More serious complications include abortions and severe foetal malformations. Neurological disorders have also been reported in some horses.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has said the long-term impact of the European variants remains uncertain.

The extent of the virus's spread and its potential consequences for livestock populations require further monitoring.

What Is the Risk to Humans?

The first documented human case involved a patient with a serious underlying illness and a severely weakened immune system.

French authorities said the patient's brain complications were very likely linked to the virus, although investigations into the infection and death remain ongoing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that, based on the available information and knowledge of how closely related viruses are transmitted, the case appeared to be isolated and was unlikely to lead to wider transmission at this time.

The case has nevertheless drawn attention to the need to investigate possible human infections and better understand the virus's potential effects.

What Is the Virus's Current Status?

Shamonda virus is not currently listed as a disease by the World Organisation for Animal Health, meaning countries are not required to report cases under the organisation's disease-specific notification obligations.

It is also not listed under the European Union's Animal Health Law framework and is therefore not subject to disease-specific mandatory surveillance under that system.

As a result, the available data may not provide a complete picture of the virus's distribution or prevalence.

Further surveillance and research will be important in determining the long-term risks to livestock and whether the virus poses any broader threat to human health.