Global trends in tick research: a comprehensive visualization and bibliometric study (2015-2024)

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Entomology
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Ticks are significant vectors of pathogens, posing threats to livestock and human health.
• Understanding global tick research is crucial for disease control and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze global scientific research on ticks from 2015-2024.
• To identify key research hotspots, influential institutions, and emerging trends in tick-related studies.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 13,499 articles from Web of Science and Scopus (2015-2024).
• Visualization analysis using VOSviewer and CiteSpace software.
• Examination of national, institutional, journal, author, keyword, and reference data.

Main Results:

• The United States (30.85%), China (10.46%), and Brazil (9.99%) are leading countries in tick research.
• Marcelo B. Labruna and Universidade de São Paulo are highly productive.
• Keywords include major tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease, TBE) and pathogens (Borrelia, Rickettsia), with recent emergence of 'One Health' and 'antimicrobial resistance'.

Conclusions:

• Tick-borne disease research is a global priority, with expanding pathogen diversity due to climate change.
• Future research emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches for integrated tick control systems.
• Protecting human and livestock health requires systematic strategies against tick-borne threats.