First Human Case of Chamonda Virus Reported in France

French authorities have announced the first recorded human infection with Chamonda virus—also referred to in reports as Shamonda virus or Shabu—in a severely immunocompromised patient who died in early October.

Health officials described the infection as an “exceptional case” and said there was no current risk to the wider public.

What is Chamonda virus?

Shabu blight is a disease that primarily affects cattle and can be transmitted by infected midges. Infections have also been reported in sheep, goats, alpacas and horses, but human infection had never previously been documented.

Cattle bitten by infected midges may develop fever and diarrhea, as well as reduced milk production.

How was the patient infected?

France’s health and agriculture ministries said the patient was believed to have contracted the virus after being bitten by a midge in eastern France. The ministries also announced on Thursday the country’s first confirmed animal case of the virus, which was identified in the spring.

The patient had been treated for a serious illness at a hospital in Lyon and experienced neurological complications considered “very likely” to be linked to the virus, based on initial findings. Officials stressed that the patient’s weakened immune system made them more susceptible to disease.

WHO and ECDC monitor the situation

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that this was the first recorded human infection. The agency said it had not yet completed its own formal risk assessment, but stated that current information and knowledge of similar illnesses suggested the case was isolated and “unlikely to lead to wider spread at this time.”

WHO added that transmission of midge-borne viruses generally decreases during the cooler months.

The WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) are monitoring the situation while French authorities investigate how the virus was transmitted to humans. The ECDC said it was working with French and European partners to assess the infection’s potential public health impact.

Chamonda virus detected in European livestock

The ECDC said the first case of the virus in Europe was confirmed in late July. Since then, the virus has been detected in livestock in Jersey and in several other countries, including Ireland, Germany, Italy and Spain.