Global research trends in the relationship between influenza and CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells: A bibliometric analysis

Influenza pathogens cause many illnesses and deaths yearly, posing a serious threat to global public health. As a result, most studies are increasingly focusing on the role of specific CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells in combating influenza. This study examines the key themes and trends in this field using bibliometric analysis. Literature on influenza and CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells were searched (from 1985 to 2023) in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Eligible articles were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria for bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix." A total of 1,071 publications from 47 countries or regions and 1,148 institutions associated with 5,728 authors in the disciplines of immunology, virology, biochemistry, and molecular biology were included. The findings indicate a yearly increase in publications related to influenza and CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells, with the United States, Australia, and China leading in publication volume. The University of Melbourne had the highest volume of publications. Only a few researchers collaborated, and the collaborations were mostly concentrated in the same countries/regions. Professor Katherine Kedzierska, associated with The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, was the most productive academic in this field. According to the analysis of highly cited literature and keywords, the application of cellular immunity in formulating pioneering influenza vaccines is a key direction for future research.The role of CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells in combating the influenza virus has emerged as a significant focus within influenza research literature. This article summarizes the research institutions, authors, journals, hotspots, and application trends of CD4⁺ T/CD8⁺ T cells in influenza.