Comparative Evaluation of IgG Antibody Response to HPV Vaccination among Urban and Rural Populations in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Background : Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is still one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases as well as a major cause of cervical cancer in the world. Immunization, especially the production of IgG antibodies is an essential pointer of protection that has been induced by the vaccine. The research study measured and compared the levels of IgG antibody and the immune index (ABS and INDEX) after the HPV vaccination among the urban and rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. There were 278 participants who received the vaccination that had been recruited; 139 in Abakaliki (urban) and 139 in Ezza North (rural). Methods : In order to determine the levels of serum IgG, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used and the test results were analyzed through independent t-tests, Chi-square, and logistic regression. Results : The findings showed that the mean levels of IgG were also significantly more in Abakaliki (ABS 0.598 ± 0.340; INDEX 3.62 ± 2.08) than in Ezza North (ABS 0.072 ± 0.096; INDEX 0.43 ± 0.58). The difference in the response of antibodies was significantly different (t = 17.53, p < 0.00001). The percentage of vaccination and IgG positivity was also larger in Abakaliki (86.3%) compared to Ezza North (69.1%). The logistic regression analysis revealed that the participants in urban areas were two and half times more likely to develop a positive IgG response in comparison to the participants in the rural area (p = 0.032)(p<0.05). Conclusion : The results indicate that there is a strong urban-rural gap in immunity developed due to HPV vaccination, and that vaccine manipulation, access to healthcare, and socio-environmental conditions affect the immune measures. Strengthening cold-chain infrastructure, enhance outreach vaccination in rural areas, and increase awareness of the population to have equal vaccine efficacy can play a role in the reduction of HPV-related diseases in Nigeria.