Abstract

Abstract

Antiviral drug resistance has emerged as a critical threat to global infectious disease control, particularly among rapidly evolving RNA viruses. This study examined the molecular mechanisms underpinning resistance in emerging pathogens by integrating Darwinian evolutionary theory and quasispecies dynamics with quantitative meta-analysis. Published empirical studies (2005–2024) were systematically analyzed to evaluate mutation rates, selection coefficients, and resistance frequencies across major viral families. Results indicated significant associations between viral mutation rates and resistance prevalence, with multi-drug resistance mutations demonstrating the highest adaptive advantage. A strong positive correlation was identified between mutation supply and resistance emergence. These findings supported the hypothesis that antiviral resistance represented a predictable evolutionary outcome under pharmacological pressure. The study highlighted the importance of combination therapy, structural drug optimization, and genomic surveillance in mitigating resistance evolution.