Deadly Virus That Killed Person in France Detected in UK Livestock for First Time
A virus associated with a death in France has been detected in British livestock for the first time. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that Shamonda virus (SHAV) was found on two dairy farms in England and Wales. Previously considered unable to infect humans, the virus had been identified only in goats, alpacas and horses. However, it was linked last month to the death of a person in France.
Shamonda virus is believed to spread mainly through bites from Culicoides midges and primarily affects cattle. It was identified at a dairy farm in Powys, Wales, and another in Shropshire, England, after samples were collected and analysed in laboratories last month.
Cases have now been reported in 14 western European countries, including on farms in Jersey and the Republic of Ireland. The only known human case involved a severely immunosuppressed person in Lyon, France.
Health officials described the infection as an “exceptional case in a severely immunocompromised patient,” noting that the individual’s weakened immune system increased their vulnerability to serious illness.
At the time, officials said: “Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, the Shamonda virus has never previously been detected in humans.”
The UKHSA said: “There is currently no evidence of wider transmission among humans and the current risk to the general population is considered very low. The UKHSA is continuing to monitor the situation closely.”
The Food Standards Agency has also warned that Shamonda virus could pose a food-safety concern in Britain. Livestock keepers have been advised to watch for clinical signs, including fever, diarrhoea, lethargy and reduced milk production.
Despite the detections, the UKHSA said there is currently no indication that additional disease-control measures are required.
