[Zinc and copper levels in the blood serum of infants with chronic nutrition disorders].

Zinc and copper plasma levels were investigated in infants with chronic malnutrition. Using the method of atomic absorbing spectrophotometry microelements content was assessed in 82 infants with mild degree of malnutrition. Zinc and copper levels in infants with malnutrition were significantly lower in comparison with the level of this metals in eutrophic healthy infants of the control group. It was found that the decrease of plasma zinc and copper levels related to the increase of the level of malnutrition. Selected group of children with malnutrition had a similiary low plasma levels of investigated elements as had the children with malnutrition due to other causes. Low concentration of the total proteins was directly related to the low copper levels and to lesser extent to zinc level.