Human infection with the "Chamond" virus has been recorded in France. This is the first documented case of the disease being detected in a human in the world. The person infected with the virus died.
Modern.az reports that the press service of the French Ministry of Agriculture released information about this.
According to Reuters, citing French officials, the patient died.
Chamond virus (SHAV) is a virus belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus and Simbu serogroup, which causes an infectious disease in animals. The same serogroup includes the causative agents of Schmallenberg and Akabane diseases.
The virus is mainly spread by the bites of blood-sucking small insects of the genus Culicoides and mostly infects cattle. The virus was first discovered in Nigeria in the 1960s.
The French Ministry of Agriculture stated that there is currently no scientific data confirming that the virus is transmitted to humans through the consumption of meat, milk or products obtained from their processing. However, products obtained from infected animals are removed from consumption.
“Considering the currently available knowledge about the virus, no risk to public health in general has been identified,” the ministry’s statement said.
In addition, there is currently no vaccine or antiviral drug against the "Chamond" virus. The most effective measure against the spread of the virus is considered to be the protection of animal herds from disease-carrying insects.
