Relating tumor score to hematology in green turtles with fibropapillomatosis in Hawaii

The relationship between hematologic status and severity of tumor afflictio n in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with fibropapillomatosis (FP) was exami ned. During 1 wk periods in July 1997 and July 1998, we bled 108 free-rangi ng green turtles from Pala'au (Molokai, Hawaii, USA) where FP is endemic. B lood was analyzed for hematocrit, estimated total solids, total white blood cell (WBC) count and differential WBC count. Each turtle was assigned a su bjective tumor score ranging from a (no visible external tumors) to 3 (heav ily tumored) that indicated the severity of FP. There was a progressive inc rease in monocytes and a decrease in all other hematologic parameters excep t heterophils and total numbers of white blood cells as tumor score increas ed. These data indicate that tumor score can relate to physiologic status o f green turtles afflicted with FP, and that tumor score is a useful field m onitor of severity of FP in this species.