What is Shamonda, the livestock virus found for the first time in a person in France?

Jérôme Chabanne/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images/File

The first known human case of Shamonda virus was reported by France on Thursday . The patient has died, but the World Health Organization says that it is considered to be an isolated case so far and that there is no broader risk to the general public.

WHO is “in touch with the French authorities and is closely monitoring the situation,” the agency said in a social media post , and plans to share updates as it learns more.

Here’s what we know about Shamonda virus.

Shamonda virus was first identified in cattle in Nigeria in 1965, according to WHO .

It is most commonly reported in cattle, but there have also been cases in sheep, goats, horses and alpaca.

Infected animals can show clinical signs, including fever, diarrhea and reduced milk production, according to the World Organization for Animal Health . The virus may also cause congenital abnormalities in newborn calves.

Most cases of Shamonda virus have been identified in Africa and Japan.

It was first detected in Europe this summer, in cattle in southern Germany and Switzerland. Since then, it has also been identified in animals in other parts of Western Europe, including Austria, Belgium and France.

The virus is transmitted to animals through the bite of a Culicoides midge, which is a small insect similar to a fly. WHO says that further study is needed to understand the exact species involved.

It is not known to spread from animal to animal, except from an infected animal to its fetus during pregnancy.

Shamonda virus is classified as an Orthobunyavirus; It belongs to the Simbu subgroup, which also includes Schmallenberg virus . Outbreaks caused by this group “tend to occur in cycles following the seasonal patterns of midges,” according to WOAH. But patterns in Europe may differ from those in places where the viruses are endemic.

French authorities suspect that the person who had Shamonda virus had been bitten by a midge that was carrying the virus.

But health officials say that further investigation is required to confirm how the person became infected and to understand whether the virus caused or contributed to their death.

The patient had been receiving treatment for a serious illness that made them more susceptible to infection than the general population, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

“Bunyaviruses vary in their capability to infect humans,” WOAH says. “Specific risk assessments should be carried out to determine both the biosafety and biocontainment measures required for handling infective materials in the laboratory.”

WOAH encourages nations to voluntarily report Shamonda virus cases, but it is not required.

Laboratory testing is also needed to confirm infection in animals, as clinical signs can resemble those of other diseases.

There are currently no treatments or vaccines for Shamonda virus.

杰罗姆·沙班纳/汉斯·卢卡斯/法新社/盖蒂图片社/文件

法国周四报告了首例已知的人类感染沙蒙达病毒的病例。该患者已经死亡，但世界卫生组织表示，目前这被认为是一起孤立病例，对公众没有更大的风险。

世界卫生组织在社交媒体上发帖称，该机构“正与法国当局保持联系，并密切关注事态发展”，并计划在了解更多信息后分享最新消息。

以下是我们对沙蒙达病毒的了解。

据世界卫生组织称，沙蒙达病毒于 1965 年首次在尼日利亚的牛身上被发现。

该病最常见于牛，但绵羊、山羊、马和羊驼也有病例报道。

世界动物卫生组织指出，受感染的动物可能出现发热、腹泻和产奶量下降等临床症状。该病毒还可能导致新生犊牛出现先天性畸形。

沙蒙达病毒感染病例大多发现于非洲和日本。

今年夏天，这种病毒首次在欧洲被发现，地点位于德国南部和瑞士的牛群中。此后，在西欧其他地区，包括奥地利、比利时和法国的动物中也发现了这种病毒。

这种病毒通过蠓虫叮咬传播给动物，蠓虫是一种类似苍蝇的小昆虫。世界卫生组织表示，需要进一步研究以确定具体是哪种昆虫。

目前已知该病毒不会在动物之间传播，但会在怀孕期间由受感染的动物传染给胎儿。

沙蒙达病毒属于正布尼亚病毒属，属于辛布亚群，该亚群还包括施马伦贝格病毒。据WOAH称，该病毒群引起的疫情“往往呈周期性爆发，与蠓虫的季节性活动模式相吻合”。但欧洲的疫情模式可能与病毒流行地区的模式有所不同。

法国当局怀疑感染沙蒙达病毒的人是被携带该病毒的蠓虫叮咬的。

但卫生官员表示，需要进一步调查以确认该人是如何感染的，并了解该病毒是否直接或间接导致了其死亡。

据欧洲疾病预防控制中心称，该患者曾接受过严重疾病的治疗，这使得他比普通人群更容易受到感染。

“布尼亚病毒感染人类的​​能力各不相同，”WOAH表示。“应进行具体的风险评估，以确定在实验室处理传染性材料所需的生物安全和生物防护措施。”

WOAH鼓励各国自愿报告沙蒙达病毒病例，但并非强制要求。

还需要进行实验室检测来确认动物是否感染，因为临床症状可能与其他疾病的症状相似。

目前尚无针对沙蒙达病毒的治疗方法或疫苗。