What is Shamonda virus and how dangerous is it after France's first human case?

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1. 1

   Shamonda virus (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaChecked Oct 23, 2026

   “Shamonda virus (SHAV) is a midge-borne RNA virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus in the Simbu serogroup, closely related to Schmallenberg virus and Akabane virus, that primarily infects cattle and other ruminants such as sheep, goats, horses, and alpacas. In dairy cattle it can cause diarrhoea and fever, as well as reduce milk production. The virus was first isolated in the University of Ibadan in Nigeria in 1965. The name comes from the neigbourhood of Samonda, where the University of Ibadan is located. Since then, it has been found sporadically in Africa and Japan. On 31 July 2026, a new variant called Shamonda-Europe was identified after disease investigations on cattle farms in Germany and Switzerland, and it subsequently spread to France, Spain, Portugal and other European countries. There are two variants circulating in Europe: SHAV-EU1, first detected in Switzerland, France, and southern Germany, and SHAV-EU2, identified in northwestern Germany. The first documented human infection by SHAV was reported in France in October 2026.”

2. 2

   Detection of a novel Shamonda Orthobunyavirus in dairy cattle, France, June 2026.

   Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin (KelleciPublished Aug 1, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “In June 2026, acute fever, diarrhoea, lethargy and marked reduction of milk yield were reported in dairy cattle in eastern France. Unbiased Nanopore metagenomics on pooled plasma from affected cows detected Simbu serogroup Orthobunyavirus, provisionally named European Shamonda Virus, and recovered complete genomes. Segments L and M clustered with Nigerian Shamonda virus, whereas S showed a distinct clustering pattern, suggesting high mutation rate or reassortment. Similar findings in neighbouring countries indicate cross-border emergence requiring coordinated surveillance.”

3. 3

   Revisiting the Importance of Orthobunyaviruses for Animal Health: A Scoping Review of Livestock Disease, Diagnostic Tests, and Surveillance Strategies for the Simbu Serogroup.

   Viruses (O'Connor et al.)Published Feb 15, 2024Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “Two search strategies identified 224 peer-reviewed publications for 33 viruses in the serogroup. Viruses in this group may cause severe animal health impacts, but only those phylogenetically arranged in clade B are associated with animal disease. Six viruses (Akabane, Schmallenberg, Aino, Shuni, Peaton, and Shamonda) were associated with congenital malformations, neurological signs, and reproductive disease. Diagnostic test interpretation is complicated by cross-reactivity, the timing of foetal immunocompetence, and sample type. Serological testing in surveys remains a mainstay of the methods used to monitor the distribution of SGVs. Given significant differences in survey designs, only broad mean seroprevalence estimates could be provided. Further research is required to determine the disease risk posed by novel orthobunyaviruses and how they could challenge current diagnostic and surveillance capabilities.”

4. 4

   Oropouche virus: transmission, epidemiology, genetic diversity, and public health implications.

   EClinicalMedicine (Subissi et al.)Published Apr 21, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “Although most infections are self-limiting, reports of neurological disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and rare fatalities highlight uncertainties regarding pathogenicity, risk factors for severe disease, and long-term sequelae. The known teratogenicity of related Simbu serogroup orthobunyaviruses in animals further raises concerns about foetal risk in humans. Environmental change, expanding vector ranges, and viral evolution are likely contributing to outbreak emergence and geographic spread. Based on the available evidence, this review highlights priority gaps in epidemiological surveillance, diagnostics and genomic monitoring, vector competence and ecology, transmission pathways, and countermeasure development. Addressing these gaps through coordinated surveillance, improved laboratory capacity, targeted vector control, and focused research will be essential to mitigate the public health impact of OROV and reduce the risk of further spread.”

5. 5

   Detection of Novel Orthobunyavirus Reassortants in Fatal Neurologic Case in Horse and Culicoides Biting Midges, South Africa.

   Emerging infectious diseases (Rakaki et al.)Published Jul 1, 2025Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “We detected Shuni virus in horses and ovine fetuses and Shamonda virus in a caprine fetus in South Africa. We identified a Shuni/Shamonda virus reassortant in a horse and Shuni/Caimito, Shamonda/Caimito, and Shamonda/Sango virus reassortants in Culicoides midges. Continued genomic surveillance will be needed to detect orthobunyavirus infections in Africa.”

6. 6

   The Dynamic Transmission of Simbu Group Viruses in New South Wales, Australia.

   Transboundary and emerging diseases (O'Connor et al.)Published Jan 1, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “The transmission of a Simbu serogroup virus was detected during every monitoring period (October-July), progressing from north to south along the NSW coastline. Inland transmission west of the Great Dividing Range (GDR) was intermittent (2012-2013, 2020, and 2022), when SGV distribution extended across the mountain range or progressed down the western slopes from Queensland. From 2014, repeated seasonal SGV transmission extended to the far south coast of NSW. Peaton virus was the most frequently detected and widely distributed virus. Since testing for the newly detected Shamonda-like virus started in 2019, this virus has been widely detected across coastal NSW and often in herds also infected with Douglas or Peaton viruses. Discrepancies between the ELISA and virus neutralisation test (VNT) results suggest that this virus could have been present in NSW as early as 2012. From 2017, Akabane virus has a sporadic distribution. The distribution for both Aino and Tinaroo viruses was sporadic (2005-2023). These findings highlight the importance of long-term, virus-specific surveillance in identifying emerging variants and detecting exotic incursions.”