Throughout the world, there has been growing concern over the risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) transmission via blood transfusion. The present study screened blood donor samples for anti-HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). The prevalence of HEV infection was assessed on a total of 1,003 archived serum samples obtained from the National Blood Centre, Malaysia. The samples were collected from healthy blood donor from Klang Valley between 2017 and 2018. All samples were tested for IgM and IgG antibodies to HEV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). HEV-specific IgG antibodies were detected in 31/1003 (3.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1%–4.4%) and IgM in 9/1003 (0.9%; 95% CI 0.4%–1.7%) samples. In bivariate analysis, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG with respect to gender and district of origin. Although not statistically significant, males had higher odds of having anti-HEV IgG than females (odds ratio [OR] = 2.86; 95% CI 0.95–8.64). All anti-HEV IgG positive individuals were people of Chinese descent. Anti-HEV IgG increased significantly with age, from 0.6% (95% CI 0.1%–2.6%) of 18–30-year-old donors to 7.4% (95% CI 2.7%–17.0%) of donors older than 50 years and was highest among non-professional workers (5.3%; 95% CI 2.5%–10.5%). Increasing age and a non-professional occupation remained significant predictors for anti-HEV IgG in the multivariable analysis. Screening of blood donations for HEV in Malaysia is important to safeguard the health of transfusion recipients. The higher rates of HEV infection in blood from older donors and donors who are non-professional workers may provide insights into targeted groups for blood screening.

在全世界，人们越来越关注通过输血传播戊型肝炎病毒 (HEV) 的风险。本研究筛选了献血者样本的抗 HEV 免疫球蛋白 M (IgM) 和免疫球蛋白 G (IgG)。对从马来西亚国家血液中心获得的总共 1,003 份存档血清样本进行了 HEV 感染流行率评估。这些样本是在 2017 年至 2018 年期间从巴生谷的健康献血者那里收集的。所有样本都使用酶联免疫吸附试验 (ELISA) 测试了 HEV 的 IgM 和 IgG 抗体。在 31/1003（3.1%；95% 置信区间 [CI] 2.1%–4.4%）中检测到 HEV 特异性 IgG 抗体，在 9/1003（0.9%；95% CI 0.4%–1.7%）样本中检测到 IgM。在双变量分析中，就性别和原产地而言，抗 HEV IgG 的流行率没有显着差异。尽管没有统计学意义，但男性具有抗 HEV IgG 的几率高于女性（优势比 [OR] = 2.86；95% CI 0.95–8.64）。所有抗 HEV IgG 阳性个体均为华裔。抗 HEV IgG 随着年龄的增长而显着增加，从 18-30 岁捐赠者的 0.6% (95% CI 0.1%–2.6%) 到 50 岁以上捐赠者的 7.4% (95% CI 2.7%–17.0%)并且在非专业工作者中最高（5.3%；95% CI 2.5%–10.5%）。在多变量分析中，年龄增长和非专业职业仍然是抗 HEV IgG 的重要预测因素。在马来西亚筛查 HEV 献血对于保障输血接受者的健康非常重要。