Prevalence and determinants of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in the MENA region: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a constraining challenge for tuberculosis (TB) control worldwide. The Middle East and North African (MENA) region represents a significant part of the global MDR-TB burden.

AIM: To estimate the pooled prevalence of MDR-TB and its determinants in the MENA region.

METHODS

We searched for studies published in English and French on the subject up to 31 January 2026 on Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane, without time restriction. Original studies reporting data on the prevalence of MDR-TB in individuals living in the MENA region were selected. The meta-analysis was done using the random effects model considering the heterogeneity among the included studies and I 2 statistic was used to assess the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of 1239 articles were identified and 25 studies from 6 countries were included in this review. The prevalence of MDR-TB in the MENA region ranged from 0% (95% CI 0% to 4.1%) to 17.1% (95% CI 10.6% to 25.4%). The pooled prevalence was 3.54% (95% CI 2.18% to 5.72%) with a high heterogeneity, I2 =95.6%; 95% CI 94.4% to 96.5%. Previous exposition to TB treatment, HIV infection, smoking and the presence of comorbidities were the most reported associated factors.

CONCLUSION

This review underscores the persistence of MDR-TB in the MENA region, suggesting insufficiency in TB control. Multisectoral interventions integrating strong prevention measures, standardised treatment protocols and measures to enhance treatment adherence should be implemented.