---
title: Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test Test
type: test
id: tb-blood-test
url: "https://www.test-well.com/tests/tuberculosis-blood-test"
price_usd: 91.99
lab_fee_usd: 6
all_in_usd: 97.99
cpt: 86480
category: Immunity & Vaccination
sample: Blood draw
fasting_required: false
results_in: "3–5 business days"
labs:
  - Quest
  - Labcorp
  - BioReference
orderable: true
reviewed_at: 2026-09-14
order_url: "https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=tuberculosis-blood-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown"
---

# Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test Test

> QuantiFERON-TB blood test — more accurate than the skin test with no return visit needed, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $91.99 plus a $6 lab fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 3–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.

**Have symptoms? See a clinician instead of testing.** If you have a cough lasting 3+ weeks, are coughing up blood, or have fever, night sweats, or unexplained weight loss, the right step is a clinical evaluation now — not ordering a test and waiting. A negative blood test does not rule out TB disease in someone with symptoms. Also: if you've had a documented positive TB test before, don't retest — bring your prior result to a clinician instead.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price | $91.99 + $6 lab processing fee per order ($97.99 all-in for this test alone) |
| CPT code | 86480 |
| Sample | Blood draw |
| Fasting | Not required |
| Results | 3–5 business days |
| Labs | Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) |
| Biomarkers measured | 1 |
| Physician authorization | Included — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed |
| Payment | Card, HSA or FSA; cash-pay only (no insurance billing) |

## What does the Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test test tell you?

QuantiFERON-TB blood test — more accurate than the skin test with no return visit needed.

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus blood test measures your immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Unlike the traditional skin test, it requires only one visit, is not affected by prior BCG vaccination, and has fewer false positives. It's required for many employment, school, and immigration purposes. A positive result indicates TB exposure but does not distinguish between latent and active TB infection.

**Clinical use:** Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) — modern blood-based tuberculosis test. More specific than the older skin test (TST/PPD) because it isn't affected by prior BCG vaccination.

## Who should order it?

Healthcare workers (annual screening), anyone starting biologic medications (TNF-alpha inhibitors, JAK inhibitors), recent immigrants from high-TB-prevalence countries, anyone with known TB exposure, school/employment requirements.

## Biomarkers measured

- Interferon-gamma Response to TB Antigens

## Price by lab

| Lab | Test price | All-in (with $6 fee) | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Quest Diagnostics | $91.99 | $97.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) |
| Labcorp | $91.99 | $97.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) |
| BioReference (NY & NJ) | $91.99 | $97.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route here automatically |

Rhode Island is not served. Prices are identical online and in the lab; no draw fee or physician fee is added.

## How much does a Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test test cost?

A Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test test costs $91.99 at TestWell — $97.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Ordered directly from the labs' own consumer sites, the same test lists at $149.00 at Quest Health and $149.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (list prices checked Sep 12, 2026). Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $350.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible.

| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $91.99 | $97.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) | $149.00 | $149.00 | [list price checked 2026-09-12](https://www.questhealth.com/product/tuberculosis-blood-test/36970M.html) |
| Labcorp OnDemand (Labcorp's own site) | $149.00 | $149.00 | [list price checked 2026-09-12](https://www.ondemand.labcorp.com/lab-tests/tuberculosis-test) |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $350.00 | $350.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |

Lab test codes: Quest test code 36970 · Labcorp test no. 182879 · BioReference code T814-3.

## How do you prepare?

No fasting required. Sample must be processed within 16 hours of collection.

## Related conditions

- Latent TB infection (Z22.7)
- Active tuberculosis (A15.9)
- TB exposure (Z20.1)
- TB screening (Z11.1)

## Is the Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test worth it?

> Yes when someone requires TB documentation from you - a university, employer, or your own preparation ahead of an immigration medical exam - or after a known exposure. The QuantiFERON blood test needs one visit, is not skewed by childhood BCG vaccination, and produces the CLIA-certified report institutions accept.

### Worth it if you…

- International students clearing a university health hold (most US schools accept outside IGRA results)
- Healthcare workers, teachers, and other jobs with TB screening requirements
- Green-card applicants pre-screening before the civil-surgeon exam (a positive found early is a plan; found at the exam, it is a delay)
- Anyone BCG-vaccinated whose old skin test read 'positive' and wants their true status on record
- Known or suspected exposure to someone with active TB

### You can probably wait if you…

- You need the OFFICIAL I-693 immigration medical - only a USCIS civil surgeon can perform that exam; this test is preparation, not a substitute
- You have symptoms of active TB (weeks of cough, night sweats, weight loss, coughing blood) - see a provider promptly; screening tests are for people without symptoms

### At home or in the lab?

At-home collection is not recommended for this test. This is a walk-in venous draw at Quest or Labcorp. QuantiFERON samples must be processed within about 16 hours of collection in special tubes, which is why it is not a mail-in kit and why we route it through lab locations that handle it daily. No fasting or preparation - walk in any time.

### How do you read the results?

| Result | Typical adult range | What an out-of-range value can mean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (IGRA) | Negative | Negative means no immune memory of TB bacteria - the result schools and employers are looking for. Positive means exposure at some point (roughly 1 in 4 people worldwide), NOT active disease; the next step is a chest X-ray to rule out active TB, and latent TB is treatable with a short antibiotic course. |

_This section medically reviewed; last reviewed 2026-07-23._

## Common questions about the Tuberculosis (TB) Blood Test test

### What's the difference between a TB blood test and a TB skin test?

The blood test (IGRA — QuantiFERON or T-SPOT) is a single draw with results in 2-3 days. The skin test (TST/PPD) requires two visits 48-72 hours apart and produces false-positives in anyone who received the BCG vaccine (common outside the US). The blood test is more specific and preferred for BCG-vaccinated patients and healthcare workers.

### How do I interpret the result?

Positive: TB exposure has occurred (latent or active). Requires chest X-ray and clinical evaluation to distinguish — latent infections need treatment to prevent reactivation; active TB requires combination antibiotic therapy. Negative: no evidence of TB infection. Indeterminate (rare): repeat the test, often related to immune suppression or sample handling.

### What's the difference between latent and active TB?

Latent: TB bacteria present but dormant — no symptoms, not contagious, but 5-10% lifetime risk of reactivation. Active: TB bacteria multiplying — symptoms (cough, weight loss, night sweats), contagious, requires immediate treatment. Both are diagnosed via the same blood test plus clinical follow-up.

### How much does a TB blood test cost without insurance?

On TestWell the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus blood test is $91.99 (plus a $6 physician review fee), drawn at Quest or Labcorp with no appointment. The same IGRA test is $149 at both Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand (checked September 2026); urgent-care and occupational-health clinics commonly charge $100–$200 for the draw plus a visit fee, and hospital-billed testing runs $250–$350 without insurance. The older PPD skin test is cheaper (about $30–$75 at pharmacies and clinics) but needs a second visit 48–72 hours later to read, and it gives false positives in anyone who had the BCG vaccine — which is why most employers, schools and immigration physicals now accept or require the blood test.

### What is the CPT code for a TB blood test?

The CPT code for IGRA (QuantiFERON or T-SPOT) is 86480.

### Do I need to fast?

No fasting required. Tube handling matters more than patient preparation — most labs process the sample within hours of draw, so don't sit on the sample.

### Why is TB testing required for biologic medications?

TNF-alpha inhibitors (Humira, Remicade, Enbrel), JAK inhibitors (Xeljanz, Rinvoq), and other biologics suppress the immune response that keeps latent TB dormant. Untreated latent TB can reactivate dramatically once these drugs start. Screening + treating latent TB before initiating biologics is standard of care.

### Is the TB blood test accepted for immigration?

For your own preparation, yes - it is the same IGRA test type civil surgeons use. But the official I-693 exam must be performed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon who orders testing under their own direction. Self-ordered results do not replace the exam; they tell you in advance what the exam will find, which is exactly what protects your timeline.

### TB blood test vs skin test - which should I get?

The blood test, almost always. It needs one visit instead of two, and it is not affected by the BCG vaccine - the skin test frequently reads falsely positive in BCG-vaccinated people, which describes most students and immigrants from TB-endemic countries. The CDC prefers IGRA testing for anyone BCG-vaccinated, and universities accept it universally.

### What does a positive TB blood test actually mean?

Exposure, not illness. A positive IGRA means your immune system has met TB bacteria before - true for about a quarter of the world's population. It cannot distinguish latent infection from active disease, so the next step is a chest X-ray. Latent TB is not contagious and is treatable with a 3-4 month antibiotic course; schools and employers work with documented latent TB routinely.

### How fast do I get TB test results for a school deadline?

Results arrive 3-5 business days after your draw, and you can usually walk into a Quest or Labcorp the same day you order - no appointment or US doctor needed. Most students clear a health hold within a week, end to end.

## How to order

1. Add to cart: https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=tuberculosis-blood-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown
2. Create an account or sign in, confirm your state and preferred lab, pay by card, HSA or FSA.
3. A licensed physician authorizes the order (usually within minutes); the requisition arrives by email.
4. Walk into any Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) patient service center — no appointment needed at most sites.
5. Results post to your TestWell portal in 3–5 business days with reference ranges and flags.

## Related

- [TB Blood Test vs. Skin Test: How QuantiFERON (IGRA) Works and Which One You Need](https://www.test-well.com/guides/tb-blood-test-vs-skin-test)
- [TB Test for University Enrollment: The Fast Way to Clear Your Health Hold](https://www.test-well.com/guides/tb-test-for-university-enrollment)
- [Back-to-School Lab Tests: TB, Titers, and Health-Form Requirements Without the Runaround](https://www.test-well.com/guides/back-to-school-lab-tests)
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---

Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD (Medical Reviewer, TestWell); last reviewed 2026-09-14. Review policy: https://www.test-well.com/reviewers/youmna-distefano-md

Canonical page: https://www.test-well.com/tests/tuberculosis-blood-test
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Prices are cash-pay, in USD, and include physician authorization; every order adds one flat $6 lab processing fee. Educational content is not a diagnosis — discuss results with a clinician.