Kinetics of Anti-Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers in Nurse Students after a Two-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Infection caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be prevented through a safe and effective vaccine. This study analysed the kinetics of serum antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (anti-HBs) titers in relation to previous vaccine boosters in Italian nursing students who were followed up for two years. Serum anti-HBs titers were evaluated at the first visit, after vaccine booster (if required) and at visit after two years. Overall, 483 students (mean age = 21.7 years; SD = 3.7) with median anti-HBs IgG titer of 6 mUI/mL (interquartile range (IQR) = 0–34) were enrolled. A total of 254 (52.5%) students with a titer lower than 10 mIU/mL were offered an anti-HBV booster at the first visit. Among these students, an exponential relation between anti-HBs IgG titer, one month after HBV booster and anti-HBs IgG titer two years later was found (y = 3.32 exp (0.0045x); R2 = 0.48; p < 0.001). Students with anti-HBV titer higher than 10 mIU/mL (N = 229) were followed up, and anti-HBs IgG titers at follow-up visit linearly correlated with anti-HBV baseline titers (y = 0.86x + 26.2; R2 = 0.67; p < 0.001). A decrease in anti-HBs titers can be expected a few years after the anti-HBV booster dose. This reduction is more pronounced than that observed in students not administered the booster dose and is exponential with respect to basal titers assessed after the booster dose.