Antibody titer

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Antibody titer

Titer - antibodies; Serum antibodies

Normal values depend on the antibody being tested. If your health care provider is testing for antibodies against your own tissue, then the normal value would be zero or negative. In some cases, a normal level is below a certain, specific number.

If your health care provider is testing to see if an immunization brought your antibody titer up to a preventive level, then the normal result depends on the specific value for that immunization.

Negative antibody tests can help rule out certain infections.

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

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If your health care provider is testing for antibodies against your own tissue, abnormal results would show a positive antibody titer. Depending on the strength of the titer, this could mean that you have an autoimmune disease in which your immune system is fighting its own tissue, cells, or substances.

If your health care provider is testing to see if your immunization brought your antibody titer up to a preventive level, an abnormal result would indicate that your body has not mounted enough of a response against the immunization and you are not fully protected against the disease.

A positive antibody test to infectious agents such as viruses can determine if you have a specific infection.

Low levels may also occur if you have an immune deficiency.

Review Date: 05/16/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Stuart I. Henochowicz, MD, FACP, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Georgetown University Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).