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Patient Dies After Cow Virus Jumps to Human for First Time

The virus was detected in Europe for the first time this summer.

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A virus that usually affects livestock has been detected in a human for the first time. Authorities in France confirmed that a patient who died at a hospital in Lyon in early October had contracted the Shamonda virus, an insect-borne virus that typically affects cows and was previously considered non-transmissible to humans. Midges spread the disease, and the eastern French region where the patient fell ill had an outbreak among animals during the summer months. Officials believe the immunocompromised patient was being treated for an illness that made him more susceptible to infection. The virus was first detected in Nigeria in the mid-1960s, with the first-ever cases in Europe confirmed in late July. Authorities stress that they have not identified any health risks to the general population following the case. Investigations into whether the virus caused or contributed to the patient’s ​death are underway. Cows affected by the virus produce less milk and suffer other symptoms such as diarrhea. Shamonda has also been found in horses, sheep, and goats.