524 - Lasting Immunity or Weaning Antibodies: The Status of Hepatitis B Immunity Among Inner-City Youths

Publication Number: 4512.524

Mohamed Ghamry, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, NY, United States; Yossef Alnasser, BronxCare Health System, NY, NY, United States; Nehal Moustafa, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, NY, United States; Sarah Erum, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, NY, United States; Tierney M. Grisolano, American University of the Caribbean, Brooklyn, NY, United States; Jessica Bauer, Ross University School of Medicine, Port Jervis, NY, United States; Allison P. Atherley-Ward, Bronxcare Hospital, Bronx, NY, United States; Olivia P.A.. Graham, Binghamton University, Goshen, NY, United States

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still a serious global public health concern. Although universal childhood immunization is quite effective in New York, it is unclear how long protective antibody levels will last, especially for youths living in disadvantaged urban populations with poor social determinants of health (SDoH).

Objective: To evaluate immunity against HBV after a complete vaccination series in one distinct community of youths living in poverty and inner-city settings of the South Bronx, and to identify predictive factors associated with non-protective HBV antibody levels among urban teens.

Design/Methods: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing chart reviews of patients at BronxCare Health System who underwent routine anti-HBV testing in the last year (2024). Patients were labeled as “Immune” or “Non-immune” based on reactivity of HBV surface antibodies after a complete vaccine series to indicate their immune status. Demographic Data were collected along with clinical data. Youths with known chronic HBV infection, immunocompromised, or incomplete vaccination records were excluded.

Results: Over the year 2024, 369 youths were tested for HBV immunity. Over half of the tested youths were found to be Non-immune (n = 198, 54%). This number is 5 times higher than the national average. The mean age of testing for HBV immunity was 16.4 years for the Non-immune group and 16.6 years for the immune group. Gender was equally distributed among the Non-immune group (50% male and 50% female). The majority of the Non-immune youths speak English (80%) while identifying as black (46%) and Hispanic (43%). Duration since completing vaccination series was significantly shorter in the immune group (127 vs. 174 months, p < 0.001). Each additional month since completing the vaccination series was associated with a 1.1 % increase in the odds of being non-reactive (aOR 1.011, p < 0.001). Multivariate Logistic Regression found that being non-Hispanic doubles your risk of being Non-immune to HBV after completing a full series of vaccination (OR 2.36, P = 0.045). Spoken language, gender, and BMI did not influence immunity status against HBV among youths in the South Bronx.

Conclusion(s): Weaning immunity against HBV among youths in the South Bronx is common and significantly higher than the national average. It is determined by the duration in months from the last vaccination. Each additional month increases the odds of becoming non-immune by 1.1%. Being Hispanic is a protective factor for lasting immunity among youths living with poverty in the South Bronx.