[Information analysis of development of researches on global neglected tropical diseases]

To reveal the development and evolution pathway of global neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) from the bibliometrics and information visualization perspective.

The research publications on the subject of NTDs from Web of Science, PubMed and PLoS NTD were retrieved and analyzed by using the bibliometrics analysis, visualization analysis and citation strategic diagrams.

The number of publications on the subject of NTDs from 2005 to 2013 had being growing gradually year by year, but there were some differences from disease to disease. The distribution of the authors, organizations and countries of the publications could be classified into two clusters, one was represented by US and UK and the other was represented by Switzerland and China. The research subjects of the publications contained epidemiology, laboratory and social economics based on population and animals. Six key and hot topics were revealed as follows: the disease burden; incorporating the control of NTDs into the programs of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; comprehensive control strategies and their influence factors; human chemotherapy and its influence factors; vaccine; research and development innovation.

The NTDs research in the globe is on its developing way with both challenges and opportunities, more concerns and investments, as well as the cooperations among different countries, organizations and disciplines are needed.