The first case of human infection with the Chamonda virus has been identified in France

The Shamonda virus is an orthobunyavirus transmitted by tiny biting midges (Culicoides species). Previously, this virus was found predominantly in livestock animals in Africa and Japan, and in the summer of 2026 it was first detected in livestock animals in Europe. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the virus has been recorded in animals in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and on the island of Jersey. German and Swiss veterinary institutes reported a new "Shamonda-like" virus in August, and the AGES agency from Austria pointed to two identified variants — SHAV-EU1 and SHAV-EU2. The genetic material of the virus was also detected in the brains of dead horses in Switzerland and Germany.

In cows, infection is accompanied by fever, watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and a drop in productivity, but these signs are usually temporary. Farmers are most concerned about potential pregnancy issues in livestock, although AGES notes that it is not yet clear whether Shamonda causes abortions and defects in calves, lambs, and goat kids in the same way related viruses do.

The single infected person was undergoing treatment in Lyon and died in early October, but investigators have not yet established whether the virus caused the death and how exactly the infection occurred. The French Ministry of Health emphasized the exceptional nature of this case due to the patient's severe immunodeficiency condition. Dr. Ben Brennan from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research noted that this is an important scientific finding, but there is currently no data indicating that the virus causes widespread disease in humans. Human-to-human transmission has not been recorded.

According to statements by the French Ministry of Agriculture, available scientific data does not confirm transmission of the virus via meat, milk, or dairy products, and products from sick animals are always excluded from circulation. In the US, the USDA and CDC agencies as of October 23 had not registered the Shamonda virus in animals or humans.