Trends and advances in Leptospira, a bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Zoonotic disease research
• Infectious disease epidemiology
• Microbiology and immunology

Background:

• Leptospirosis is a globally prevalent zoonotic disease transmitted via contaminated environments.
• Existing research covers pathophysiology and epidemiology, but trends and emerging topics require synthesis.
• Bibliometric analysis offers a visual knowledge map to identify research hotspots and future directions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of leptospirosis research.
• To identify current research hotspots and forecast future trends.
• To provide a visual knowledge map of the field.

Main Methods:

• Data extracted from Web of Science Core Collection up to May 1, 2024.
• CiteSpace and VOSViewer software used for analysis.
• Analysis of publication trends, country, institution, journal, author, and keyword contributions.

Main Results:

• 5,244 articles analyzed from 156 countries.
• United States led publications; PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases published most articles.
• Research evolved from genomic/antigenic studies to outer membrane proteins, environmental persistence, molecular mechanisms, and diagnostics.

Conclusions:

• Bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of leptospirosis research.
• Highlights collaborations and impact across authors, countries, institutions, and journals.
• Provides insights into trends and serves as a reference for future research and collaboration.