France has reported its first human case of the Shamonda virus, which is usually found in livestock, after an infected man died earlier this month.
The French government says the man, who lived in the Lyon area of eastern France, may have been bitten by a midge carrying the virus.
He had an underlying illness that made him more susceptible to infection.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says investigations are ongoing to determine whether the virus caused or contributed to the man’s death and how he contracted the infection.
Authorities say no risk to the general population has been identified so far, while the ECDC is working with French authorities and European partners to assess the potential public health implications.
The Shamonda virus is transmitted by biting midges and is most commonly found in cattle.
It has also been detected in horses, sheep, goats and alpacas.
First identified in Nigeria in the mid-1960s, the virus was confirmed in Europe in July following tests on sick cattle in Germany, Switzerland and eastern France.
It has since been detected in several other European countries.
Animal health authorities say the virus can cause symptoms in cattle, including diarrhoea, weakness, loss of appetite and, less frequently, fever.
A study of nine French dairy farms found that milk production fell by as much as 75 per cent in affected herds.
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