Screening check
Hepatitis B screening: should I get tested?
Many people with long-term hepatitis B do not know they have it. One blood test can show whether you have the virus, had it before or are protected. Your age, pregnancy, where you were born and a few risk factors decide when to test.
About you
For people without known hepatitis B. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
What you will see
Whether a one-time test, a test in this pregnancy or repeat testing is recommended for you, under the CDC and USPSTF advice.
Educational only, not medical advice. Screening decisions are made with your doctor.
Source
CDC Screening and Testing for Hepatitis B Virus Infection, March 2023. US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations of December 2020 (adolescents and adults) and July 2019 (pregnancy). Medicare Part B coverage rules.
Validated in
People 12 and older with no known hepatitis B. The CDC covers all adults 18 and older and anyone with a risk factor; the USPSTF covers teens and adults at increased risk and pregnant women.
Limits
It does not estimate your chance of having hepatitis B, does not read a test result and does not tell you whether you need the vaccine. It does not cover babies born to mothers with hepatitis B, who are tested on a separate schedule, or people with symptoms of liver disease.
What the guidelines recommend
| Who | CDC 2023 | USPSTF |
|---|---|---|
| All adults 18 and older | Screen at least once in a lifetime | No recommendation for people without risk |
| Teens and adults at increased risk | Test, at any age | Screen (grade B), even if vaccinated |
| Pregnant | Test during each pregnancy, preferably in the first trimester | Screen at the first prenatal visit (grade A) |
| Ongoing risk and not protected | Test periodically while the risk lasts | Periodic screening may be useful |
In 2023 the CDC added a new recommendation: every adult should be screened for hepatitis B at least once, and the first screen should use three tests together (HBsAg, anti-HBs and total anti-HBc) (CDC 2023). The CDC found that screening all adults is cost-effective compared with screening only people at risk, and that testing by risk alone had missed most people living with chronic hepatitis B (CDC 2023). Anyone who asks for a test should get one, without having to explain why (CDC 2023).
The USPSTF recommends screening teens and adults at increased risk, including those who were vaccinated before being screened (USPSTF 2020), and every pregnant woman at the first prenatal visit, in each pregnancy, regardless of past vaccination or negative tests (USPSTF 2019).
Who is at increased risk
The CDC lists these groups for testing at any age (CDC 2023):
- People born in regions where 2% or more of people have hepatitis B, and US-born people not vaccinated as babies whose parents were born in regions where 8% or more do.
- People who inject drugs or have in the past.
- People who are or were in jail, prison or another detention setting.
- People with HIV, or with current or past hepatitis C.
- Men who have sex with men, and people with a current or past sexually transmitted infection or multiple sex partners.
- Current or former household contacts, and sex or needle-sharing partners, of people with hepatitis B.
- People on maintenance dialysis, and people with raised ALT or AST liver tests of unknown cause.
- Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B.
Regions where hepatitis B is common include Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and parts of South America (USPSTF 2020).
Why it matters
An estimated 580,000 to 2.4 million people in the US live with hepatitis B, and up to two thirds of them may not know it (CDC 2023). People with chronic hepatitis B have a higher risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis (CDC 2023), and many have no symptoms until cirrhosis or end-stage liver disease (USPSTF 2020). There is no cure yet, but early diagnosis and treatment reduce the risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer and death (CDC 2023).
Common questions
Should I get tested for hepatitis B if I was vaccinated?
The CDC recommends that all adults be screened at least once (CDC 2023), and the USPSTF says people at increased risk should be screened even if they were vaccinated before being tested (USPSTF 2020). In pregnancy, test every time, whatever your vaccination history (USPSTF 2019).
How often should you be tested for hepatitis B?
Once for most adults. Test again in each pregnancy, and from time to time if you are not protected and a risk continues (CDC 2023).
Does Medicare cover hepatitis B screening?
Medicare Part B covers hepatitis B screening if you are at high risk or pregnant: once a year if you stay at high risk and do not get the vaccine, and in pregnancy at the first prenatal visit and at delivery if risks continue. Your doctor must order it, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment (Medicare).
Also see all screening tests by age, the HIV screening check, the hepatitis C screening check, the FIB-4 liver fibrosis calculator, the AST/ALT ratio and the fatty liver disease guide.
Sources
- Conners EE, Panagiotakopoulos L, Hofmeister MG, et al. Screening and Testing for Hepatitis B Virus Infection: CDC Recommendations, United States, 2023. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2023;72(No. RR-1):1-25. doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7201a1
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Adolescents and Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2020;324(23):2415-2422. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/hepatitis-b-virus-infection-screening
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Pregnant Women: US Preventive Services Task Force Reaffirmation Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2019;322(4):349. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/hepatitis-b-virus-infection-in-pregnant-women-screening
- Medicare.gov. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings (Part B preventive service). www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. Spotted an error? See About.