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France reports first human case of Shamonda livestock virus
French health and agriculture ministries reported the first known human infection with Shamonda virus, a midge-borne virus usually found in cattle, in a patient who died in early October. Authorities said the patient had a severely compromised immune system, that investigators are examining whether the virus contributed to the death, and that there is no risk to the general public.
Why it matters
It is the first documented spillover of this virus into a human after decades of circulation in animals in Africa and Asia.
Background
Shamonda is a bunyavirus spread by biting midges and known mainly as a livestock pathogen. It has been detected in European cattle in recent years.
Sources
- BBC News ↗Oct 22, 9:53 AM ET
- France 24 ↗Oct 22, 8:22 AM ET
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