Syn: Bovine venereal campylobacteriosis (BVC); formerly bovine vibriosis

Bovine venereal campylobacteriosis (BVC) is caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis and is characterised by infertility and early embryonic death. Abortion occurs in a small percentage of infected cows.

Campylobacter fetus subsp fetus (formerly subsp intestinalis) also causes abortion in cattle.

Diagnosis

History of reduced breeding efficiency in herds where natural breeding is practised. Clinical signs commonly observed are repeated returns to service, with prolonged interservice intervals and sporadic occurrence of mid to late term abortions.

Abortion and infertility due to C. fetus subsp. venerealis can be confirmed by demonstration of specific antibodies in the vaginal mucus of affected cows by ELISA. C fetus subsp venerealis can also be isolated from the prepuce of infected bulls. In a herd situation, demonstration of antibody in vaginal mucus is the preferred method of diagnosis as it can be difficult to recover the organism from the prepuce.

C. fetus subsp venerealis and C. fetus subsp fetus can be isolated from aborted foetuses.

Specimens required

Cows

1. Samples collected for demonstration of C. fetus antibodies in vaginal mucus by ELISA.
   PBST diluent and instructions for collection of mucus samples are available from the laboratory.
   
2. Abortion investigation: animals which have aborted can be sampled from 1 week to 3 months after the abortion.
3. Infertility investigation: representative sampling of herd; at least 10 samples collected from infertile heifers or cows. This can be done when pregnancy testing reveals infertility.

Bulls

1. Preputial scrapings submitted in Campylobacter transport enrichment medium (TEM) for bacteriology. TEM is supplied from the laboratory together with instructions for collection of samples.

Aborted foetuses

1. Specimens as required for the diagnosis of abortion in cattle (see Abortion in Cattle).