What is known about the Chamond virus, which killed a patient in France
In France, died a patient infected with the Chamond virus, which was previously detected only in animals. What is known about the virus, how dangerous it is to humans and whether it can cause an epidemic – told virologists
On October 22, French authorities reported the first confirmed case of human infection with the Chamond virus. A patient with severe immunodeficiency was treated for a serious illness at a Lyon hospital and died in early October, the government said.
The patient is believed to have been infected after being bitten by an insect in eastern France. Before his death, he had brain complications that French authorities estimated were linked to an infection. The question of what role the virus played in the death of the patient is still being studied.
What is the Shamond virus
Shamonda virus (SHAV) belongs to the group of orthobunyaviruses. It was first discovered in Nigeria in the mid-1960s. For decades, the virus was detected mainly in farm animals, said RBC Candidate of Biological Sciences, researcher at the Laboratory of Postgenomic Research at the Institute of Occupational Medicine named after N.F. Izmerov Andrey Devyatkin.
In the summer of 2026, the virus was first detected in Europe, first in Switzerland and France, then in Germany and other countries.
How the Shamond virus is transmitted
The carriers are the Culicoids, they become infected by the bite of an infected animal, and then can transmit the virus to the next. “Technically, locusts bite people, but until recently there were no cases of human infection,” Devyatkin said.
What symptoms of the Shamond virus are known
The infection primarily affects cattle, but the virus has also been detected in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas. The disease can be accompanied by fever, diarrhea, lethargy and a decrease in milk yields, said RBC candidate of biological sciences, virologist, chairman of the regional branch of the Society of Biotechnologists of Russia Alexey Deikin. Exactly what symptoms Shamond virus can cause in humans is still unknown.
Is the Shamond virus dangerous for people and is an epidemic threatened
Before the case in France, human infections with the Chamond virus were not documented. According to Deikin, there is no reason to consider the situation a threat to most people. “Increased attention is needed primarily for patients with severe immunodeficiency, for whom even relatively rare infections can pose a serious risk,” he said.
Where was the Shamond virus detected and whether there is a vaccine
After the first detection in Nigeria, Shamonda virus was sporadically recorded in cattle in countries in West, East and Southern Africa, as well as in Japan. In 2026, it was discovered in Europe – in particular, in France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
“Most likely, the Shamond virus is circulating in other countries, just there were no targeted studies – otherwise it is difficult to explain why it has not been found in any of the dozens of countries between Africa and Japan over six decades,” said Devyatkin.
There are currently no vaccines against the Chamond virus, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The French government calls among the methods of struggle protection he became insect carriers - the elimination of places of laying eggs. However, methods of treatment to destroy the virus, also does not describe.
