Localization of Trichinella spiralis in muscles of commercial and parasitologic interest in pork

Trichinellosis is widespread around the world with different representative s of the genus Trichinella found in almost even! continent. In Argentina th e main source of transmission for the disease to humans is pig meat infecte d with Trichinella spiralis. The object of this work was to determine the d istribution of Trichinella larvae in fresh meat cuts which are sold for hum an consumption and in the muscles traditionally used for the disease diagno sis at meat-packing plants. Cranial muscles to the last rib showed more Tri chinella spiralis larvae than those with a caudal location (p < 0.01). No s ignificant differences were found (p > 0.05) between bilateral left and rig ht muscles. Significant larval concentrations were found in the neck muscle s, even in carcasses with a low parasitic load; these muscles are used to p repare cold meats (boston butt). Commercial cuts of meat had a substantial larval burdens in animals experimentally infected with 500 to 5.000 Trichin ella spiralis larvae, with parasite burdens similar to infection levels in muscles evaluated at the meat packing plant.