Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hepatitis B (HB) is a major global health problem and a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Also, it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Thanks to serological surveys, testing hepatitis B su...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/3/436 |
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| author | Smiljana Rajčević Snežana Medić Aleksandra Patić Nataša Dragnić Mioljub Ristić Vladimir Vuković Vladimir Petrović |
| author_facet | Smiljana Rajčević Snežana Medić Aleksandra Patić Nataša Dragnić Mioljub Ristić Vladimir Vuković Vladimir Petrović |
| author_sort | Smiljana Rajčević |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hepatitis B (HB) is a major global health problem and a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Also, it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Thanks to serological surveys, testing hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs) allows for serological assessments of their prevalence. The presence of anti-HBs, which protects against HBV infection, can be attributed to HB vaccination or natural HBV infection. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of HB surface antibodies (anti-HBs) as an indicator of collective immunity against HBV in the general population of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. In addition, to distinguish whether anti-HBs were induced by the vaccine or by infection, the presence of antibodies against the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) was tested among those who were anti-HBs-positive. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A total of 3467 residual sera samples, collected according to the specifications of the European Sero-Epidemiology Network 2 (ESEN2) study, from April 2015 to March 2016, were screened for the presence of anti-HBs using a chemiluminescence immunoassay. The difference between categorical variables was tested using the chi-square test. <i>Results</i>: Overall, 1870 (53.9%, 95% CI: 52.3–55.6) participants tested positive for anti-HBs. The median age of the study participants was 17 years (IQR 9–35). The anti-HB seroprevalence decreased with age, ranging from 80.7% (95% CI: 78.9–82.4) in the 1–19-year-old group to 16.4% (95% CI: 12.0–20.9) in the ≥60 years’ age group. A total of 71 (3.8%, 95% CI: 2.9–4.7) serum samples were also anti-HBc-positive. Higher prevalence, but not statistically significant, was noticed in women (4.1%, 95% CI: 2.8–5.4) compared with men (3.5, 95% CI: 2.4–4.8) (<i>p</i> = 0.542). Also, there was a significant difference across the age groups, where those ≥60 years old had a prevalence of 65.9% (95% CI: 51.9–79.9) and the age category of 1–19-year-olds had just 0.2% (95% CI: 0.0–0.4) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). <i>Conclusions</i>: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the anti-HBs seroprevalence of the general population in Vojvodina and provides an opportunity to better shape the national preventive strategy related to HBV. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:01:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3704083ff6b046a0bbfab01208bbde3a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:01:19Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-3704083ff6b046a0bbfab01208bbde3a2024-03-27T13:53:38ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442024-03-0160343610.3390/medicina60030436Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, SerbiaSmiljana Rajčević0Snežana Medić1Aleksandra Patić2Nataša Dragnić3Mioljub Ristić4Vladimir Vuković5Vladimir Petrović6Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hepatitis B (HB) is a major global health problem and a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Also, it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Thanks to serological surveys, testing hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs) allows for serological assessments of their prevalence. The presence of anti-HBs, which protects against HBV infection, can be attributed to HB vaccination or natural HBV infection. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of HB surface antibodies (anti-HBs) as an indicator of collective immunity against HBV in the general population of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. In addition, to distinguish whether anti-HBs were induced by the vaccine or by infection, the presence of antibodies against the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) was tested among those who were anti-HBs-positive. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A total of 3467 residual sera samples, collected according to the specifications of the European Sero-Epidemiology Network 2 (ESEN2) study, from April 2015 to March 2016, were screened for the presence of anti-HBs using a chemiluminescence immunoassay. The difference between categorical variables was tested using the chi-square test. <i>Results</i>: Overall, 1870 (53.9%, 95% CI: 52.3–55.6) participants tested positive for anti-HBs. The median age of the study participants was 17 years (IQR 9–35). The anti-HB seroprevalence decreased with age, ranging from 80.7% (95% CI: 78.9–82.4) in the 1–19-year-old group to 16.4% (95% CI: 12.0–20.9) in the ≥60 years’ age group. A total of 71 (3.8%, 95% CI: 2.9–4.7) serum samples were also anti-HBc-positive. Higher prevalence, but not statistically significant, was noticed in women (4.1%, 95% CI: 2.8–5.4) compared with men (3.5, 95% CI: 2.4–4.8) (<i>p</i> = 0.542). Also, there was a significant difference across the age groups, where those ≥60 years old had a prevalence of 65.9% (95% CI: 51.9–79.9) and the age category of 1–19-year-olds had just 0.2% (95% CI: 0.0–0.4) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). <i>Conclusions</i>: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the anti-HBs seroprevalence of the general population in Vojvodina and provides an opportunity to better shape the national preventive strategy related to HBV.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/3/436hepatitis Banti-HBsanti-HBcseroprevalencegeneral populationSerbia |
| spellingShingle | Smiljana Rajčević Snežana Medić Aleksandra Patić Nataša Dragnić Mioljub Ristić Vladimir Vuković Vladimir Petrović Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia Medicina hepatitis B anti-HBs anti-HBc seroprevalence general population Serbia |
| title | Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia |
| title_full | Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia |
| title_fullStr | Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia |
| title_short | Seroprevalence Study of Anti-HBs Antibodies in the General Population of Vojvodina, Serbia |
| title_sort | seroprevalence study of anti hbs antibodies in the general population of vojvodina serbia |
| topic | hepatitis B anti-HBs anti-HBc seroprevalence general population Serbia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/3/436 |
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