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CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
Citation:
Fairbrother, A. CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/A-92/110 (NTIS PB92188762), 1992.
Description:
Assessment of the health status of animals through measurement of cellular, biochemical, and macromolecular constituents in blood, secretions, and excretions has been variously referred to as clinical chemistry, clinical biochemistry, or clinical pathology. he genesis of this discipline occurred in the mid-1800's, although the applications to medical and veterinary practices did not blossom until after the second world war when automated equipment required for processing large numbers of samples became available. linical biochemistry (as it will be referred to here) has now become a standard part of all diagnostic protocols for investigating health problems in humans and domestic or captive animals. uitable group of tests can be defined to evaluate the function of most major organs, the endocrine system, the immune system, and the nervous system. y using this approach, the affected organs and, potentially, the processes responsible for the observed disease syndrome can be identified and further diagnostic tests called into play to make a precise diagnosis. hile clinical biochemistry panels have been applied to free-ranging vertebrates only infrequently, this chapter Hill show that studies of captive animals indicate that such methods are now available. pplication of clinical biochemistry procedures as nondestructive biomarkers for assessing the health status of free-living animals is limited only by our ability to validate the tests for species of interest and to establish the range of normal values for animals living in their natural environments. his chapter will briefly review the procedures involved in each subdiscipline and discuss their applications as they relate to free-ranging animals, with a particular emphasis on toxicological problems.