Order Hepatitis B Core Antibody Test (Total anti-HBc) from JustLabs for $25 ($43 all-in for a single-test order: $25 + one $18 lab & physician order fee per order). Price includes lab processing at Quest Diagnostics. No insurance required.
Total hepatitis B core antibody shows whether your immune system has ever met the hepatitis B virus itself. It is positive after infection, past or current, but not after vaccination, which makes it the marker that separates infection from vaccine immunity.
When the hepatitis B virus infects someone, the immune system makes antibodies against the core of the virus. This test measures total core antibody (anti-HBc, IgM and IgG together). Once it appears it usually stays for life, so a positive result means you have been infected with hepatitis B at some point, either in the past or right now.
The hepatitis B vaccine contains only the surface protein of the virus, not the core. That is why vaccination produces surface antibody (anti-HBs) but never core antibody. If you are immune, this test tells you whether the immunity came from a vaccine or from a past infection.
Core antibody does not say when the infection happened, or whether it has cleared. That answer comes from reading it alongside HBsAg (current infection) and anti-HBs (immunity). This is why the CDC recommends screening adults with all three markers at once, available as our Hepatitis B Screening Panel.
Knowing about a past infection matters even if it cleared: the virus can reactivate if you later need chemotherapy or other strong immune-suppressing treatment, so clinicians check for it beforehand.
Price
$25
All-in
$43
incl. $18 lab & physician fee
Results
1-2 business days
Fasting
Not Required
What's Measured
What This Test Measures
This immunoassay measures total antibody (IgM and IgG combined) against the hepatitis B core antigen, a protein inside the virus. Core antibody develops in every hepatitis B infection, appears shortly after the surface antigen and typically persists for life. Because the vaccine does not contain the core protein, a positive result reflects infection, not vaccination. This total assay does not separate recent (IgM) from older (IgG) antibody.
Who Should Consider This Test
Adults screening for hepatitis B for the first time (ideally as part of the three-marker panel), people who are immune and want to know whether that immunity is from vaccination or past infection, people with a history of possible exposure, people born in regions where hepatitis B is common, people with HIV or hepatitis C, and anyone whose clinician wants to know about past infection before chemotherapy, biologic drugs or other immune-suppressing treatment.
Health Insights
Conditions Screened
When to Get Tested
Any time; no fasting needed. Core antibody appears shortly after surface antigen, which can take up to about 11-12 weeks after an exposure, so a negative result in the first three months after a specific exposure may need repeating. A single test is usually enough for a lifetime screen if it is negative and you have had no new exposures since.
No fasting needed. How to prepare for your blood test →
Understanding Your Results
A non-reactive (negative) result means no core antibody was found: there is no sign of past or current hepatitis B infection. A reactive (positive) result means you have been infected at some point, and what it means depends on the other two markers: with a positive HBsAg it indicates current infection; with a positive surface antibody (anti-HBs) it usually means a past infection that has resolved; with both negative (an 'isolated core antibody') it may be an old infection with faded surface antibody, a hidden low-level infection, or a false positive, and a clinician will usually repeat testing or order HBV DNA. Your results are informational; please review them with a clinician.
What to Expect
After placing your order, we send it straight to Quest Diagnostics — there is no consent form to sign and no partner email to wait for. Your requisition is usually ready to download from your dashboard within about an hour, and you can book your blood draw at any Quest Diagnostics location.
The blood draw typically takes just a few minutes. Results are usually available within 1-2 business days and will appear in your secure JustLabs dashboard.
Our results include reference ranges and easy-to-understand indicators showing whether your values are within normal limits.
How much does the Hep B Core Antibody test cost?
The Hep B Core Antibody test costs $25 at JustLabs — $43 all-in, since the $18 lab & physician order fee is charged once per order, however many tests you add. The price is fixed before your blood draw; no insurance or doctor visit needed.
| Option | Price | Order all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hep B Core Antibody at JustLabsDrawn at Quest Diagnostics | $25 | $43 | Includes the one $18 fee, charged once per order |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Hospital cash price: $100–$200
$25
+ $18 order fee · $43 all-inOne $18 fee per order covers your Quest blood draw and the independent physician order, however many tests you add.
- Results in 1-2 business days
- No fasting required
- Physician order included
No insurance needed · HSA/FSA eligible
- Physician-ordered
- CLIA-certified Quest lab
- Drawn at Quest Diagnostics
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