“With one single human case, we cannot say how Shamonda virus would affect the general population or people who are immunocompromised,” Emilie Peron, an expert in emerging and vector-borne diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, told Agriland.
The Shamonda virus has reached the United Kingdom for the first time, having been found in the country last week, according to reports.
Spreading via tiny biting insects of the genus Culicoides, the pathogen can cause birth defects in cows and lower their milk yields.
Long known to be present only in parts of Africa and Asia after being first isolated from cattle in Nigeria in 1965, the virus arrived on the European continent this summer, showing up in French dairy cattle before spreading to about a dozen more countries including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.
Shamonda virus detected on UK dairy farms for first timehttps://t.co/FSiL28Mrcd
The incursion has surprised researchers by jumping to new species, including horses and humans. A single case of human infection was recorded in a patient who had passed away.
The virus has been detected in horses. Bachofen said that practitioners are performing further tests to confirm the cause of death.
“We were quite surprised by the finding. It was totally new,” Bachofen told news.vin.com.
The virus has been detected in horses in Europe.
“Even before the human case was reported, we had planned to test human blood samples for Shamonda virus-specific antibodies as part of routine screening for possible infections,” Beer told news.vin.com.
Shamonda-Europe virus: First cattle cases confirmed in the UK amid rapid spread across European livestock Read more at: https://t.co/XWjeUZwEkA
Record-high heat in Europe this summer may have played an important role in the spread of the Shamonda virus.
Elevated temperatures can speed up how quickly biting midges replicate.
Alert issued over first GB Shamonda virus caseshttps://t.co/ZlNj6xfBO2 pic.twitter.com/pEXyrVRhfC
Jairo Mendez Rico, regional advisor on viral diseases for the Pan American Health Organization, explained that no human cases or animal detections have occurred in the Americas. He confirmed to ColombiaOne.com that Culicoides midges live across the Americas, but emphasized that their presence does not prove local species can transmit Shamonda.
How does the Shamonda virus spread?
The pathogen is spread by midges of the genus Culicoides.
What symptoms do infected animals experience?
In ruminants, the virus’s ability to cross the placenta and infect the fetus potentially results in abortions, stillbirths or severe congenital malformations, including abnormalities of the musculoskeletal and central nervous systems. Clinical signs in livestock include fever, lethargy, diarrhoea and decreased milk production.
Is there a vaccine available?