title: Reference intervals for select hematologic and plasma biochemical analytes of wild Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) from the St. Lawrence River in New York.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is a long-lived freshwater fish distributed throughout the Great Lakes region and is a threatened species in New York State. The species' unique life cycle makes it useful as an indicator of ecosystem health, and efforts to repatriate Lake Sturgeon to their historic range are underway. However, comprehensive hematologic and biochemical reference intervals that would be valuable for assessing the health status of individual animals have not been reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine normal hematologic and plasma biochemical reference intervals for healthy wild Lake Sturgeon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 52 wild Lake Sturgeon caught in gill nets in the St. Lawrence River. Heparinized whole blood and plasma samples were analyzed using standard techniques. Reference intervals were calculated using the robust method following elimination of outliers and Box-Cox transformation of data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hematologic reference intervals were as follows: PCV 17-38%, estimated WBC count 2740-23,150/μL, neutrophils 193-6121/μL, eosinophils 0-558/μL, other granulocytes/heterophils 0-488/μL, lymphocytes 1447-14,044/μL, and monocytes 55-1684/μL. Plasma biochemical reference intervals were as follows: aspartate aminotransferase 333-1746 U/L, calcium 1.85-2.80 mmol/L, chloride 95-123 mmol/L, creatine kinase 776-35,536 U/L, glucose 2.94-14.76 mmol/L, glutamate dehydrogenase 6-30 U/L, phosphate 2.03-5.81 mmol/L, potassium 2.34-4.24 mmol/L, sodium 122.9-151.1 mmol/L, total protein 2.0-4.4 g/dL, triglycerides 1.07-5.12 mmol/L, and uric acid 1-251 μmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reference intervals reported here will be useful for health assessment of wild and repatriated Lake Sturgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA. louis_divincenti@urmc.rochester.edu
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DiVincenti
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Priest
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dittman
authors.forename: Rodger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klindt
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Colby
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bowman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005399:Fishes / Q000097:blood*; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D009518:New York; D012016:Reference Values; D045483:Rivers