Abstract
Workers in the field of experimental parasitology have repeatedly shown that in the normal course of infection with Trichinella spiralis, cysts begin to form around the coiled larvae in the muscle fibers in 4 to 6 weeks following infection. These cysts, at first extremely delicate, gradually become more conspicuous and after about 7 or 8 months there begins a deposit of calcareous material, resulting finally in calcification of the entire cyst. Complete calcification of the cyst and the contained larvae seldom occurs normally in less than one year and in many instances the calcification process is much slower.
It seems quite probable that the more general symptoms of trichiniasis, muscular pains, fever, eosinophilia, etc., are, in part at least, due to toxic products formed by the breaking down of large amounts of muscle tissue together with waste products of the larvae. Thus a continuous inoculation of the infected host with toxic proteins occurs. When cyst formation, the protective mechanism of the body for walling off the parasite, has progressed sufficiently, production of poisonous products and the effects of mechanical irritation by the larvae tend to be inhibited.
It is significant that the majority of deaths from trichiniasis occur 4 to 6 weeks after infection, during that period immediately preceding, or during the earlier stages of, cyst formation. It would seem then that if cyst formation and subsequent calcification could be hastened this would shorten the critical period in trichiniasis and more quickly terminate the disease.
It has been shown (Zucker and Matzner 1 ) that irradiated ergo sterol through the action of the active vitamin D, increases the absorption of calcium from the intestine in rats and (Harris and Moore 2 ) produces a heavy calcification in heart muscle, kidneys and other organs in rabbits.
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