436 CHRONIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



living cultures in 10 c.c. doses two months before conception 

 with the result that the fetus was carried to full term. The 

 effect of the vaccination on the animal, however, was not 

 favorable. Later attenuated cultures were used with partial 

 success. In England experiments with 150 c.c. of a virulent 

 culture injected two months before breeding gave encourag- 

 ing results. 



INFECTIOUS GRANULAR VAGINITIS OF CATTLE. 



Colpitis Granulosa Infectiosa Bovum. 



Definition. — Infectious granular Vaginitis is a disease of 

 cattle characterized by catarrhal inflammation of, and the 

 presence of peculiar nodules in, the vaginal mucosa. 



Occurrence. — The disease is widely distributed in the 

 United States. In some communities nearly every dairy 

 herd is infected. It is also very prevalent in England and 

 on the continent of Europe. As the disorder tends to prevent 

 conception and in some c"ases induces abortion (?) it attains 

 great economic importance. 



Etiology. — The cause seems to be a specific streptococcus 

 which is Gram-negative. 



Natural Infection. — The disease is spread by the bull 

 during the act of coitus. It may also be disseminated by 

 contact of healthy with infected cows. Stable litter, 

 utensils, syringes, etc., or even the hands of attendants 

 contaminated with infectious vaginal discharge, are impor- 

 tant factors of spread. The disease, therefore, is not confined 

 to cows, but attacks heifers, calves and even males. In the 

 bull the mucous membrane lining the sheath, external surface 

 of the penis, or even the urethra becomes infected which 

 accounts for the rapid dissemination of the disease in a cow 

 herd or community (community bull). Horses, sheep, and 

 swine are immune to infection. 



Symptoms. — The period of incubation from natural infec- 

 tion is usually three to five days. A minimum period of one 

 day is recorded. The first symptoms are those of an acute, 

 purulent colpitis with congestion, swelling, and sensitiveness 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



