[Mineral contents of the blood and chemical composition of the muscles of trichinella-infected piglets (author's transl)].

Three piglets of 22 kg were infected each with 10 larvae of Trichinella spiralis per g body weight. In the blood plasma the contents of several electrolytes were measured twice per week to day 45 post infection (p.i.). These electrolytes, water, dry matter, lipids, nitrogen and ash contents were assayed on samples of muscles of each animal after they were sacrificed on day 61 p.i. Three noninfected piglets served as controls. In blood plasma the contents of Na, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn and chloride decreased, K- and Fe-contents increased. This process started at earliest on day 7 p.i. Only the Na- and the Fe-contents returned partially to preinfection values up to the end of the investigation period. In the muscles the Ca-contents were increased strongly on day 61 p.i., the Cu- and Zn-contents not the the same extent. There was a decrease in Fe, P, K, Na and Mg contents. The water contents of the muscles increased from 0.53 to 4.9%. The portion of dry matter was reduced correspondingly. Lipids contents increased 2.0 and 127.9% and ash contents 1.7 to 4.4%. Nitrogen contents were reduced by 2.5 to 5.9%.