Rising antimalarial drug resistance pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y gene mutations in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Malaria is remains a major public health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. The emergence of drug-resistant strains and the effectiveness of antimalarial drugs are major concerns in efforts to eradicate this infectious disease. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the overall prevalence of pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y gene mutations in Ethiopia. Methods We searched for articles in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases. The overall prevalence estimates were analyzed via a forest plot. To assess possible differences among studies, we performed subgroup analysis. We examined publication bias through funnel plots. All statistical analysis were performed via STATA version 16 software. Results Among the 1,843 studies initially identified, twelve full-text articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y pooled prevalence estimates were 75% (CI 0.62, 0.88) and 24% (CI 0.07, 0.42), respectively. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated a significant prevalence of the pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y gene mutation in Ethiopia. Consequently, there is a pressing need to enhance prevention and control measures and implement new strategies to address this issue.