Bovine genital Campylobacteriosis, previously known as Vibriosis, is a venereal disease of cattle caused by Campylobacter fetus. This disease is spread from bull to cow and cow to bull during breeding. It can also be spread through artificial insemination, if the pipette or semen is contaminated.
Infection with Campylobacter is subclinical and remains restricted to the vaginal and uterine mucosa of the cow and the mucous membrane of the penis and sheath of the bull. The uterine infection usually destroys the embryo at its earliest stages. However, in some instances the embryo survives, becomes infected and is aborted in the second trimester of pregnancy. The presence of the disease should be suspected when conception rates for a newly infected herd drop below 90%. Definite diagnosis can be made by identifying the organism in the cervical or vaginal mucus of the cow or in preputial fluid from the infected bull.