A new midge-borne virus has been infecting cattle across Europe this month, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) currently keeping a close eye on how it might impact the UK if it ever arrives.
Shamonda virus is an orthabunyavirus that had only been detected in parts of Africa and in Japan before reaching Europe this year.
In late July and August 2026, cases were first detected in cattle in Switzerland, France and southern Germany, according to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI).
More recently, the disease was detected amongst cattle in Austria and the Netherlands as well.
It has been reported that the Shamonda virus is closely related to viruses of the Simbu serogroup, such as Schmallenburg virus.
Clinical signs
Kate Adams, who is a senior European policy advisor at the British Agriculture Bureau (BAB), outlined that infected cattle show mild clinical signs, such as fever, reduced milk yield and diarrhoea.
She noted that “infected pregnant females can also have abortions, while offsprings can have significant foetal malformations.”
In calves, malformations of the musculoskeletal system and the central nervous system have reportedly been documented to date.
Transmission
Similar to bluetongue, transmission of the disease occurs primarily through biting midges, although it can also be transmitted to offsprings during gestation.
Only cattle have been infected by the Shamonda virus so far, with some dairy cows in France reportedly only producing 4L of milk per day as a result of the disease.
However, sheep farmers in Europe have been urged to remain vigilant as another virus of the same serogroup, Schmallenberg virus, has previously caused congenital abnormalities in lambs when infected during a sensitive phase of gestation.
As a result, European sheep farmers have been recommended to consider delaying mating ewes once midge activity decreases after October to limit the risk of exposure during early gestation.
Shamonda virus has not been classified as a zoonotic disease, meaning that there is currently no evidence that it poses a threat to humans.
Treatment
No vaccine is currently available for the Shamonda virus and there is no treatment to eliminate the disease in animals.
Scientists at FLI noted that vaccines can be developed to treat the virus, but it will require “sufficient lead time” and will depend on how significant the disease becomes across Europe.
According to Adams, the most effective control measures include protecting herds from insect vectors to reduce the risk of infection.