Recent progress in camel research

Area of Science:

• Camelid research spans diverse scientific disciplines, including agricultural and biological sciences, medicine, veterinary science, and molecular biology.
• Key research areas encompass biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, and microbiology, reflecting the multifaceted nature of camelid studies.

Background:

• Camelids are vital for ecosystem preservation, biodiversity, food security, economic growth, and climate change adaptation.
• The United Nations declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids (IYC) to recognize their global importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate recent advancements in camelid research.
• To analyze the citation impact of camel research using Scopus database data.
• To contextualize findings within the International Year of Camelids (IYC).

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted on March 17, 2024, in the Scopus database.
• Search terms included "camel", "camelids", and "Camelus dromedarius".
• Both automatic and manual screening methods were employed to identify relevant publications.

Main Results:

• A total of 15,844 camelid-related papers were published between 1850 and 2024, with 30% appearing in the last five years (2019-2023).
• Research is distributed across 28 scientific topics, with agricultural/biological sciences, medicine, and veterinary science being prominent.
• Key contributors include institutions like King Saud University and nations such as the United States and Saudi Arabia, with English as the dominant publication language.

Conclusions:

• Despite being historically understudied, camelid research shows a promising upward trajectory.
• The International Year of Camelids presents a crucial opportunity to bolster scientific inquiry, especially in low-income countries with significant camelid populations.