Organisms associated with abortion and reproductive problems in cattle.

In 14 herds totaling over 2000 cattle the bacterial species most frequently isolated from the vagina, fetus, and fetal membranes following abortion or reproductive failure were Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus, less often E coli. About 5% of the total 1810 isolations included various other agents. Although most of the aborted fetuses had undergone autolysis, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, and placental lesions were observed in a few cases.