Anti-HBs Seroprevalence in Blood Donors from Tyrol, Austria
Lisa Seekircher,
Annelies Mühlbacher,
Lena Tschiderer,
Gregor A. Wachter,
Manfred Astl,
Harald Schennach,
Anita Siller,
Peter Willeit
Affiliations
Lisa Seekircher
Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Economics, Medical Statistics and Informatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Annelies Mühlbacher
Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Lena Tschiderer
Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Economics, Medical Statistics and Informatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Gregor A. Wachter
Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Manfred Astl
Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Harald Schennach
Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Anita Siller
Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Peter Willeit
Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Economics, Medical Statistics and Informatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Background/Objectives: Antibodies against the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) are a marker of immunity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. There is uncertainty about the anti-HBs seroprevalence in the general population of Austria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in blood donors from the Federal State of Tyrol in Austria (August–September 2023) to estimate anti-HBs seroprevalence and median antibody levels. Results: We enrolled 3935 blood donors (median age 47.6 years [25th–75th percentile: 33.3–56.6]; 40.7% female), who were hepatitis B surface antigen negative and had no detectable HBV-DNA. Overall seroprevalence was 51.4% (95% CI: 49.8–52.9%). Anti-HBs seropositivity decreased with higher age (p p = 0.003). Seroprevalence was significantly higher in urban than in rural areas in participants aged 40 to p = 0.045) and ≥55 years (p = 0.001). Among 2022 seropositive participants, the overall median anti-HBs antibody level was 539.3 IU/L (25th–75th percentile: 116.3–5417.0). Furthermore, 5% of the participants had an anti-HBs antibody level between 10 and Conclusions: Anti-HBs seroprevalence in blood donors from Tyrol, Austria, was 51.4% between August and September 2023 and differed across age, sex, and residence area. Catch-up vaccination programs, especially targeting the elderly living in rural areas, are needed to close HBV immunity gaps.
