French health and agriculture authorities have reported the first human infection with the Shamonda virus, previously known to affect only livestock, in a patient suffering from severe immunodeficiency. The joint statement explained that the virus has circulated in Africa and
Asia for decades without documented human cases, describing this instance as exceptional due to the patient's compromised immune system. The patient was admitted to a hospital in Lyon for treatment of a serious illness but passed away in early October.
Authorities suggest the infection likely resulted from a bite by a "Culicoides" fly in eastern France, where the virus is known to circulate among animals during spring and summer. The statement noted that the neurological complications observed before the patient's
death are strongly suspected to be linked to the Shamonda virus. The ministries emphasized that no specific health risks to the general population in France have been identified so far, and clinical, biological, and epidemiological investigations are ongoing to clarify
the circumstances of the case.
