How Does Vaccine Titer Testing Work at the Immigration Medical Exam?
Quick Answer
Vaccine titer testing involves a simple blood draw to measure your immunity to specific diseases. Results are typically available within 2–5 business days. If your titer is positive, you are immune and do not need the vaccine. If negative, you will need to receive the vaccine.
What Is Vaccine Titer Testing?
Vaccine titer testing (also called serology testing or immunity testing) measures the level of antibodies in your blood against specific diseases. A positive titer result means you have sufficient antibodies to be considered immune to that disease — either from prior vaccination or prior infection. For immigration purposes, a positive titer satisfies the vaccination requirement for that disease without needing to receive the vaccine.
Which Vaccines Can Be Tested With Titers
Titer testing is available for several vaccines required for immigration: measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR components, tested individually), varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. Titer testing is not available or not used for all vaccines — for example, there is no standard titer test used for Tdap, influenza, or COVID-19 for immigration purposes. The civil surgeon will advise which titer tests are appropriate for your situation.
The Blood Draw Process
Titer testing requires a simple blood draw, typically from a vein in your arm. The blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The process takes only a few minutes and is performed at our office. Multiple titer tests can be run from a single blood draw, so you may be able to check immunity for several vaccines at once. The civil surgeon will order the appropriate titer tests based on your vaccination history and the vaccines you need.
Turnaround Time for Titer Results
Titer results are typically available within 2–5 business days, depending on the laboratory. Our office will notify you when your results are ready. If your results are positive for all tested vaccines, no further action is needed for those vaccines. If any results are negative, the civil surgeon will advise you on the next steps, which typically involve receiving the vaccine.
What Happens If Your Titer Is Negative
A negative titer means you do not have sufficient immunity to that disease and will need to receive the vaccine. For example, if your varicella titer is negative, you will need two doses of varicella vaccine (given at least 4 weeks apart). If your hepatitis B titer is negative, you will need the hepatitis B vaccine series. The civil surgeon will schedule the appropriate vaccines and follow-up appointments based on your titer results.
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