Serological evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) from a multi-ethnic study of Asian men

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging infectious disease with limited epidemiological data in Malaysia. This multi-ethnic study of Asian men examined the seroprevalence of HEV among urban Malaysian men and associated demographic factors.Methods A total of 955 archived serum samples from the Subang Men’s Health Study were analyzed for anti-HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors associated with HEV seropositivity were evaluated using logistic regression analyses.Results The overall anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence was 11.5% (95% CI: 9.6–13.7). Seroprevalence increased significantly with age, with men aged 61–87 years having over three times higher odds of HEV seropositivity compared with those aged 40–50 years (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.76–6.70). Significant ethnic disparities were also observed. Chinese men had substantially higher odds of HEV seropositivity than Malay men (OR = 26.99, 95% CI: 6.57–110.86). No significant associations were found between HEV seropositivity and lifestyle or metabolic factors.Conclusion Urban Malaysian men demonstrated a relatively high HEV seroprevalence, particularly among older adults and men of Chinese ethnicity. These findings highlight the importance of targeted public health awareness and preventive strategies for HEV infection in high-risk demographic groups.