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Temporal Variation In Immunologic Biomarkers: Are Single Snapshot Studies Of Any Value Chris Ottinger1, Vicki
Blazer1, Christine Densmore1, Deborah Cartwright2,
Luke Iwanowicz2, Sandra Page1, and Larry Pieper3 1National Fish Health Research Laboratory, Leetown
Science Center, Biologic Resources Division, USGS, Kearneysvile, WV 25430; 2Johnson
Controls World Services, Inc., National Fish Health Research Laboratory,
Kearneysville, WV 25430; 3Maryland Department of Natural Resources,
Stevensville MD 21666 In recent years there has
been interest in using immunologic biomarkers as indicators of environmental
disturbance. A number of functional assays such as macrophage phagocytosis,
bactericidal activity and superoxide anion production, as well as a number of
lymphocyte assays have been used in field studies. Differences have been noted
in some studies between contaminated and reference sites. However, there has
been little research directed toward understanding seasonal effects and how
factors other than contaminants may influence these functions and hence the
results obtained when comparing sites. Ongoing fish health studies in
Chesapeake Bay tributaries offered an opportunity to compare functional assay
results both spatially and temporally. White perch were collected in June,
August and October of 1998, 1999 and 2000 and additionally in April and
December of 2000 and February 2001. Significant differences were noted in
functional assays among the tributaries but also within individual tributaries
among the sample periods. Potential impact of seasonal factors and other
influences will be discussed. |