PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mahallawi, Waleed H.
AU  - Ibrahim, Nadir A.
AU  - Alahmadi, Khalid S.
AU  - Al-Harbi, Abdullah K.
AU  - Almughthawi, Mohammed A.
AU  - Alhazmi, Omar A.
AU  - Alsehli, Fayez H.
AU  - Khabour, Omar F.
TI  - Natural immunity to influenza A and B among Saudi blood donors in Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2020.12.05582
DP  - 2020 Dec 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1301--1307
VI  - 41
IP  - 12
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/41/12/1301.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/41/12/1301.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2020 Dec 01; 41
AB  - Objectives: To investigate the seroprevalence of influenza viruses (A and B) among blood donors in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Methods: The present investigation was conducted between April 2019 and July 2019. Participants were healthy adults recruited from the central blood bank Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels against influenza A and B were measured in serum samples using ELISA.Results: The results showed that 29.2% of the sample had significant concentrations of influenza A IgG antibody, whereas 38.6% had significant concentrations of influenza B IgG antibody. A strong correlation was found between the levels of influenza A and influenza B antibodies (r=0.708, p<0.001). The number of individuals identified as negative for influenza A IgG antibody increased with age (p<0.01). In addition, no correlations were identified between influenza A IgG and influenza B IgG and body mass index (BMI), (p>0.05). Finally, linear regression analysis showed that the level of influenza A antibody can be predicted by age (p<0.05) and body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05).Conclusion: Approximately one-third of Saudi Arabian adults presented significant levels of influenza A and B antibodies in our study. Demographic factors, including age and BMI, might contribute to influenza A antibody levels.