Bacterial meningitis: a density-equalizing mapping analysis of the global research architecture

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Bacterial meningitis poses a significant global public health threat.
• Existing research lacks a comprehensive overview of global scientific efforts.
• Developing targeted public health strategies necessitates understanding research landscapes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the global research output on bacterial meningitis.
• To identify leading countries and collaboration patterns in this research area.
• To guide future research program development.

Main Methods:

• A scientometric analysis was conducted using Web of Science data from 1900 to 2007.
• Density-equalizing algorithms were applied to visualize research distribution.
• Bibliometric methods were used to assess publication counts and citation rates.

Main Results:

• A total of 7998 publications on bacterial meningitis were identified.
• The United States led in publications (2698), followed by the UK, Germany, and France.
• Norway, Finland, and the U.S. showed the highest average citation rates.

Conclusions:

• Global research on bacterial meningitis is concentrated in developed nations.
• There is a critical need for customized research programs in low-development countries with high incidence rates.
• Addressing this public health problem requires focused, localized research initiatives.