Tests for hepatitis D

If you live with hepatitis B, you should have a test for hepatitis D. If you haven’t had a test, or don’t know if you have, speak to your doctor.

The information on this page is for:

Adults with hepatitis D or suspected hepatitis D
Family, friends, carers, and healthcare professionals.

You can ask your doctor for a test for hepatitis B and D if you are worried that you might have picked up one or both viruses. For example, if a partner has recently been diagnosed with hepatitis B or D.

There are 2 main blood tests for hepatitis D. An antibody test, which checks if you have ever had the virus. And an RNA test which checks if you have the virus now. It can also be used to check levels of the virus after you have been diagnosed, for example to help with treatment decisions.

On this page:

Hepatitis D antibody test

You might see this written as anti-HDV.

This test is used to see if you have ever had the virus. It looks for antibodies against hepatitis D in your blood. Antibodies are part of your immune system.

If this test is positive, it means you have the antibodies. So you have had the hepatitis D virus at some point in your life. This could be an infection now or a past infection that you have cleared. To check if you still have hepatitis D you will have an RNA test.

In people who successfully clear hepatitis D it is normal for the antibody test to be positive, often for the rest of your life. This does not mean you have hepatitis D. The antibodies will fight off any future infections, so you cannot get hepatitis D again.

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Hepatitis D RNA test

You might see this written as HDV RNA. It is also called the viral load.

RNA is the genetic material of the hepatitis D virus. You have probably heard of DNA, which humans and other animals have. RNA is similar and does the same job of carrying all the instructions (genes) to make the hepatitis D virus.

This test checks the levels of hepatitis D RNA in your blood. If it finds you have any amount of RNA, then it means you have the virus at the moment. The bigger the number, the higher the amount of virus – this is also called the viral load.

Levels of the virus can go up and down. People with any level of RNA found will have another blood test to check for hepatitis D RNA 3 to 6 months later.

If you are diagnosed with hepatitis D your doctor might check your RNA levels regularly, often every six months. This will depend on what treatment you are having – see the treatment section [link to new page] for more information.

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Useful links
Hepatitis D
How do you get hepatitis D?
Tests
Treatment
Living with hepatitis D
Hepatitis B

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This content was last reviewed: March 2026

Our expert reviewers:

We would like to thank everyone who helped with creating and reviewing this page. Including Dr Apostolos Koffas, Consultant Hepatologist, Royal London Hospital. And all our patient reviewers.

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