The determination of haemagglutinin influenza antibodies in the Polish population in the epidemic season 2020/2021 during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Małgorzata Niedzielak; Ewelina  Hallmann; Katarzyna Kondratiuk; Karol Szymański; Adam Kolondra; Anna Poznańska; Lidia  Brydak

doi:10.18388/abp.2020_6015

Małgorzata Niedzielak Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Ewelina Hallmann Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Kondratiuk Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Karol Szymański Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Adam Kolondra Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Anna Poznańska Department of Population Health Monitoring and Analysis, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Lidia Brydak Department of Influenza Research – National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2020_6015

Abstract

The aim of the study was to prove the level of antibodies against haemagglutinin in the sera of people from seven age groups in the epidemic season 2020/2021 in Poland to determine the differentiation of the antibody level and the protection rate depending on age. The level of anti-haemagglutinin antibodies was established by haemagglutinin inhibition test (HAI).
A total of 700 randomly selected sera from people belonging to 7 different age groups were tested. The results confirmed the presence of antibodies against the following influenza antigens: A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus, A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (H3N2)-like virus, B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus and B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus. The level of haemagglutinin antibodies varied between the studied age groups, with the highest values in the 5–9 age group and the lowest in the 0–4 age group. It was also proven that the protection rate was the highest for the A/Hong Kong/2671/2019(H3N2)-like virus antigen, which exceeded the protection level in the 5 age groups. Considering the very low percentage of people vaccinated in the epidemic season 2020/2021 in Poland, which amounted to only 6.1%, the results should be interpreted as the immune system’s response to an infection with influenza virus.