Post-Vaccination and Post-Infection Immunity to the Hepatitis B Virus and Circulation of Immune-Escape Variants in the Russian Federation 20 Years after the Start of Mass Vaccination.

ABSTRACT: A neonatal vaccination against the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was initiated in Russia 20 years ago, with catch-up immunization for adolescents and adults under the age of 60 years launched in 2006. Here, we have assessed the humoral immunity to HBV in different regions of Russia, as well as the infection frequency following 20 years of a nationwide vaccination campaign. We have also evaluated the role of immune-escape variants in continuing HBV circulation. A total of 36,149 healthy volunteers from nine regions spanning the Russian Federation from west to east were tested for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBV capsid protein (anti-HBc), and antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs). HBV sequences from 481 chronic Hepatitis B patients collected from 2018-2022 were analyzed for HBsAg

SUBMITTER: Asadi Mobarkhan FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9962567 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature