What is titer hepatitis B?

Hep B Titer Test required by most schools and employers. Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) level can be measured to determine if vaccination is needed. Following a vaccination regimen, anti-HBs can be measured to determine if protective immunity has been achieved.

When should you get a Hep B titer?

Six months following the first shot, you should receive your third and final shot of the series. If you wish to ensure you have generated adequate immunity, and are protected, you can have your anti-HBs (HBsAb) titres checked 4-8 weeks following the last shot of the hepatitis B vaccine series.

How often do you need a hepatitis titer?

Hepatitis B vaccine is given as a two or three dose series, depending on the age that you receive the vaccine. In general, you only need the complete Hepatitis B vaccine series once in a lifetime.

What if my hep B titer is low?

If the test shows the titer is less then 10 mIU/mL the general recommendation is to complete the series again using a different brand of vaccine (e.g. if you received Engerix B, the first time, switch to Recombivax the 2nd time or vice-versa).

What is a positive titer?

If you’re titers results are positive, it means that you have adequate immunity to a particular infectious disease. Therefore, you do not need to get that particular vaccine. Many health care schools or certain health care jobs may require proof that you have been vaccinated in the past for certain infectious agents.

What is a positive titer for hep B?

when this is “positive” or “reactive,” it means the person is immune to hepatitis B infec- tion, either from vaccination or from past infection. (This test is not done routinely by most blood banks on donated blood.)

How do I know if I had Hep B vaccine?

To be certain that you are protected against hepatitis B, ask for a simple blood test to check your “antibody titers” that will confirm whether the vaccination was successful.

Can you lose Hep B immunity?

Ten percent of the patients who receive and respond to vaccination lose anti-HBs after 5 years and 50% lose anti-HBs after 10 years. Many authors believe that protection lasts as long as 10 years, even if antibody titers decrease below “protective” levels of 10 mIU/mL.

How do you read Hep B titer results?

For hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), a level less than 5 mIU is considered negative, while a level more than 12 mIU is considered protective. Any value between 5 and 12 mIU is indeterminate and should be repeated.