The haematological assessment of the health of freshwater fish

Abstract

A review is made of some selected literature regarding the use of haematological techniques in freshwater fish pathology. Comparisons are drawn with the techniques already widely used in human pathology for the assessment of health and for aid in diagnosis of various diseases and conditions. The need for information on normal values, and on the conditions under which these were formulated, and the factors affecting them is stressed. The use of haematological values in assessing sublethal concentrations of environmental pollutants and the possibility of chromosomal changes are considered.