Antibody titer blood test

A blood sample is needed.

No special preparation is necessary for this test.

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away.

The antibody level (titer) in the blood tells your health care provider whether or not you have been exposed to an antigen, or something that the body thinks is foreign. The body uses antibodies to attack and remove foreign substances.

In some situations, your provider may check your antibody titer to see if you had an infection in the past (for example, chickenpox or measles) or to decide which vaccines you need.

The antibody titer is also used to determine:

• The strength of an immune response to the body's own tissue in diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other autoimmune disorders
• If you need a booster vaccine
• Whether a vaccine you had before helped your immune system protect you against the specific disease
• If you have had a recent or past infection, such as mononucleosis or viral hepatitis

Normal values depend on the antibody being tested.

If the test is being done to look for antibodies against your own body tissues, the normal value would be zero or negative. In some cases, a normal level is below a specific number.

If the test is being done to see if a vaccine fully protects you against a disease, the normal result depends on the specific value for that immunization.

Antibody tests can help check for certain infections. A negative test may mean that a specific infection is not present, but because antibodies take time to develop (usually 1-2 weeks), it may not be definitive.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different labs. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

Abnormal results depend on which antibodies are being measured.

Abnormal results may be due to:

• Autoimmune disease
• Bacterial infections
• Failure of a vaccine to fully protect you against a certain disease
• Immune deficiency
• Viral infections

There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Multiple punctures to locate veins
• Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

Titer - antibodies; Serum antibodies

Kroger AT, Orenstein WA, Krow-Lucal E, Wodi AP. Immunization for specific infections. In: Blaser MJ, Cohen JI, Holland SM, et al, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 322.

McPherson RA, Riley RS, Massey HD. Laboratory evaluation of immunoglobulin function and humoral immunity. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 47.

Nadeau KC. Approach to the patient with allergic or immunologic disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 230.

Updated by: Deborah Pedersen, MD, MS, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.