Reacción a "The first case of human infection with the Shamonda virus has been identified in a patient with pre-existing conditions who died in France"

The death of a patient with severe immunodeficiency in Lyon, France, who was suffering from a serious illness caused by the Shamonda virus, has just been confirmed; this is the first human case in Europe. This virus has recently been detected on cattle farms in France. Shamonda is a bunyavirus transmitted amongst cattle by Culicoides, or sand flies, which are small dipterans that also transmit bluetongue. It can also circulate amongst small ruminants and horses.

There is no risk to the general public as this is a case involving an immunocompromised patient; whilst this is a new occurrence for this virus, it is not entirely uncommon. There are many bunyaviruses that circulate naturally amongst mammals in tropical regions and cause sporadic cases in humans. In a globalised world, where animals and goods are on the move and the climate is changing, it is not unusual for cases of human transmission to occur, and we should not be concerned; we simply need to monitor the situation, remain vigilant and be proactive in addressing potential health risks.