Evaluation of Anti-HBs Antibody Immune Response against Hepatitis B virus in Vaccinated People in a North-eastern Bulgaria Region

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most significant human pathogens responsible for a huge number of acute and chronic liver infectious diseases worldwide. Aim: To find the duration of post-vaccination immune response in individuals allocated to five age groups from 6 months to 20 years. Materials and methods: All tested subjects were born between 1999 and 2018 and therefore covered by the compulsory vaccination program against hepatitis B. For the serological marker anti-HBs Ab we investigated 449 serum samples taken from ambulatory people and patients of St Marina University Hospital in Varna. Results: A positive antibody response (anti-HBs Ab > 10 mlU/ml) was reported in 79.7% (n = 51) of the group of subjects up to one year old, in 70.0% (n = 196) of the subjects in the age range 1 year/1 month to 15 years, and in 39.3% (n = 33) of the subjects 15 years/1 month to 20 years old. Female sex had a better post-vaccination response than male sex with statistically significant relationship between sex and anti-HBs Ab titer (x2 = 24.76, p <0.01). Conclusions: Regardless of the mass immunization against HBV in Bulgaria, the relative share of chronic HBV infections does not show a downward trend. Therefore, it is very important to study the duration of the post-vaccination immune response by demonstrating the anti-HBs antibodies and to apply a booster dose from the vaccine if needed.