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Scientists react to the first ever human infected with Shamonda virus.
Prof Tom Solomon, Director, The Pandemic Institute, and NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, said:
“This is clearly a tragic case for the patient and very sad news for their family. It seems that the Shamonda virus may have contributed to the patient’s illness, although investigations are ongoing to establish its precise role. The risk to the general population remains very low.
“The risk to the general public appears very low for several reasons. Shamonda virus has been circulating in animals, particularly cattle, but also sheep, goats, horses and alpacas, for many years, yet this is the first recognised human infection. This suggests that transmission to humans is extremely unusual.
“We also know that this patient was severely immunocompromised, which may have made them particularly vulnerable to an infection that would not normally cause serious illness in humans.
“However, because this is the first recognised human case, there is still a great deal we don’t know. We don’t know whether healthy people can become infected without developing symptoms, what symptoms the virus might normally cause, or how frequently it might cause serious disease.
“French authorities believe the neurological complications in this patient were very likely linked to the infection, although investigations are continuing. This is clearly concerning, but one exceptional case does not necessarily mean the virus poses a significant threat to the wider population.
“The important message is that there is no reason for public alarm, but this case reinforces the importance of surveillance for emerging infections, particularly those that can affect the brain.”
FROM SMC SPAIN* David Roiz, Beatriz Galindo Distinguished Senior Researcher, SaBio Group, Institute for Research into Game Resources (IREC), University of Castilla-La Mancha, said:
“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 midges, 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 unusual. 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.”
Dr Ben Brennan, Group Leader and Senior Lecturer, MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, said:
“Shamonda virus is a member of a large group of viruses known as bunyaviruses. It is closely related to Schmallenberg virus, which emerged in Europe in 2011 and caused significant disease in livestock, particularly reproductive abnormalities and birth defects in cattle and sheep.
“Like Schmallenberg virus, Shamonda virus is primarily associated with livestock and is transmitted by small biting insects called midges. Although scientists have known about the virus for many years, until now it has been associated with infections in animals rather than humans.”
“This is an important scientific finding, as it is the first reported human infection with Shamonda virus. However, it is important to put this into perspective. The patient had a serious underlying illness that left them particularly vulnerable to infections, and we do not yet know whether Shamonda virus contributed to their death.
“Finding a virus in a severely immunocompromised patient does not necessarily mean it poses a significant risk to otherwise healthy individuals. At present, there is no evidence that Shamonda virus causes widespread human disease, although further investigation is needed to understand its ability to infect people.”
“At present, we know relatively little about how this individual acquired the infection. Shamonda virus is normally transmitted between animals by biting midges, so exposure to an infected insect is one possibility, but this has not been established.
“French public health authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the infection, including how the patient was exposed and whether the virus played any role in their illness or death. Until those investigations are complete, it would be premature to draw firm conclusions.”
“Based on the information currently available, there is no reason for the general UK public to be unduly concerned. This is a single reported human infection in someone who was already seriously ill and immunocompromised, despite the virus having circulated in animals for many years.
“There is currently no evidence of sustained transmission between humans, and the virus is normally spread through biting midges rather than everyday contact between people.
“While this discovery warrants further scientific investigation and continued surveillance, it does not currently suggest a significant new public health threat to the UK. For most people, there is no reason to change their normal activities or take additional precautions.”
Declared interests
Prof Tom Solomon: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.“
David Roiz: “He declares no conflicts of interest.”
Dr Ben Brennan: “My laboratory studies the molecular biology and pathogenesis of a range of bunyaviruses, including viruses closely related to Shamonda virus. Although we currently have no funding specifically allocated to studying Shamonda virus, we are actively seeking to obtain the virus to initiate studies of its biological characteristics and better understand its potential to cause disease.”