Infectious Reproductive Diseases

Abstract

Reproductive disease caused by infectious agents is the hardest to protect against because during gestation, the bovine reproductive system, with its multilayered placenta (epitheliochorial), leaves the fetus in a naive environment susceptible to infection. Abortions may occur due to infection of the placenta, infl ammation of the ovary, death of the fetus, and disruption of the cervical plug. The key to vaccination for infectious reproductive diseases is to minimize the amount and duration of the viremia, septicemia or prevent the infectious agent from moving through the cervix. This chapter discusses common infectious causes of reproductive diseases.