Effect Of Horsefly (Tabanus Spp.) Infestation On Biochemical Parameters In Infested Horses In Samarra City And Its Suburbs

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the impact of horsefly infestation.Tabanus on some biochemical parameters and the effect of sex and age factors in horses in several different areas in Salah al-Din Governorate for the period from 1/10/2025 to 1/2/2026. The study included 100 horse samples, of which 51% were infected with the horsefly insect.

     The results of estimating the levels of Total Protein, Calcium (Ca++), and Ferritin in the serum of horses infected with the horsefly showed no significant difference below the significance level (P<0.05), as the average concentrations in the infected group were 6.46 ± 1.36 (g/dl) and 9.92 ± 2.96 (mg/dL) respectively. The results of estimating ferritin levels showed a highly significant difference between the infected and uninfected horse groups, as its levels in the infected group decreased to 294.78 ± 15.38 (ng/ml).

    The results of the study on the effect of the sex factor on the levels of total protein, calcium Ca++ and ferritin in the serum of horses infected with the insect showed no significant difference with regard to protein and its relationship to sex, as its concentration in the infected group was 6.711 ± 1.438 (g/dl) for males and 6.310 ± 1.348 (g/dl) for females. As for calcium levels and their relationship to sex, significant differences were found related to sex, as its levels decreased in the infected group for males to 9.024 ± 1.602 (mg/dL) compared to infected females to 10.335 ± 3.445 (mg/dL). On the other hand, there were no significant differences between infected males and healthy males, in which its concentration was 7.787 ± 0.790 (ng/ml), and there was also no significant difference between infected females and healthy females.

        Regarding the estimation of ferritin concentration and its relationship to sex, there was a very significant difference, as its concentrations reached their highest in infected males 358.3 ± 16.34 ((ng/ml) while it decreased to the lowest level in the infected females, reaching 243.0 ± 14.60 (ng/ml). Regarding the study of the relationship of age to the studied biochemical variables, the results showed that there were no significant differences between these studied parameters and the age factor. The levels of total protein, calcium, and ferritin in the infected group reached 6.597 ± 1.401, 9.764 ± 2.958, and 298.8 ± 16.37 respectively in the 1-5 year age group, while the concentrations of these parameters for the same age group reached 6.072 ± 0.947, 9.529 ± 2.678, and 297.3 ± 16.14 respectively in the healthy group.