Hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers as a correlate of protection against influenza disease in the 2018/2019 epidemic season in Poland

Ewelina Hallmann-Szelińska; Karol Szymański; Katarzyna Łuniewska; Katarzyna Kondratiuk; Lidia Bernadeta  Brydak

doi:10.18388/abp.2020_5088

Ewelina Hallmann-Szelińska Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9205-1910
Karol Szymański Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3269-0774
Katarzyna Łuniewska Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4144-9096
Katarzyna Kondratiuk Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0124-2971
Lidia Bernadeta Brydak Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0553-627X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2020_5088

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the level of antibodies against hemagglutinin of influenza viruses in the sera of people in the seven age groups in the epidemic season 2018/2019 in Poland. The level of anti-hemagglutinin antibodies was determined by hemagglutination inhibition test (HAI). 1050 clinical samples from all over the country were tested. The level of antibodies against influenza viruses was highest in the 10–14 age group for A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2) and B/Phuket/3073/2013 Yamagata lineage antigens. These results confirm the circulation of four antigenically different influenza virus strains, two subtypes of influenza A virus – A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09 and A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2) and two lineages of influenza B virus – B/Colorado/06/2017 – Victoria lineage and B/Phuket/3073/2013 Yamagata lineage.