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The trends of Zika virus-related research from 2014 to 2018: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yong-Dae Gwon
Umea Universitet
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0703-4188
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne disease discovered in 1947, but with no reports of serious disease for almost 60 years. The first large ZIKV outbreak was reported from Yap island in 2007, then in 2015, the emergence of ZIKV in the Americas highlighted clinical manifestations such as microcephaly and Guillain‐Barré syndrome. On February 1, 2016, WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the magnitude of the outbreak, which then officially ended in November 2016.
Methods
Ever since the Brazilian authority released the first report of autochthonous transmission of ZIKV in 2015, it became the object of interdisciplinary investigation and global research collaboration. To follow and understand the trend of ZIKV research, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of ZIKV publications during 2014-2018, by using the scientific database Scopus.
Results
We found that the number of ZIKV related publications increased in 2016, 2017, and 2018 (39.2, 56.5, and 58.5 times, respectively) compared to an average number of publications (23.5) in 2014-2015. During the five years, there was not only an increment of publication numbers but also the area of research was expanded. In 2014-2015, the majority in the research area was epidemiological research with the aims to report the consequence of the ZIKV outbreak, and the trend was shifted to the development of diagnostic methods, antiviral treatment, and vaccine in the following three years. In addition, the number of countries involved in ZIKV research increased from 11 and 13 in 2014-2015 to 59, 67, and 66 in 2016-2018, showing that ZIKV research was changed from a low-level stage to active and globalized in the coming five years.
Conclusions
Our results highlight the importance of gathering public interest when the world is facing the phase of global health alert, and how it can drive the research field from inactive to active. However, despite this enormous progress in ongoing ZIKV research, many questions are yet to be answered and should be addressed to accelerate the development of effective ZIKV countermeasures. Nevertheless, our systematic review and meta-analysis emphasized the importance of a worldwide multidisciplinary effort to combat outbreaks or unknown infectious disease threats in the future.
Keywords
Zika virus, bibliometrics, systematic review, research trends, emerging infectious disease
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Reviewer #2 agreed
On 22 Feb, 2021
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Received 22 Feb, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 07 Feb, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Jan, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Jan, 2021
Editor assigned
On 12 Jan, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 12 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 12 Jan, 2021
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 13 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 22 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 18 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 18 Nov, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 18 Nov, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 19 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 18 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 21 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
General Microbiology
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This preprint is under consideration at Systematic Reviews. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
The trends of Zika virus-related research from 2014 to 2018: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yong-Dae Gwon
Umea Universitet
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0703-4188
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 2
Posted 21 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 22 Feb, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 22 Feb, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 07 Feb, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Jan, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Jan, 2021
Editor assigned
On 12 Jan, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 12 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 12 Jan, 2021
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 13 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 22 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 18 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 18 Nov, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 18 Nov, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 19 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 18 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 21 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
General Microbiology
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne disease discovered in 1947, but with no reports of serious disease for almost 60 years. The first large ZIKV outbreak was reported from Yap island in 2007, then in 2015, the emergence of ZIKV in the Americas highlighted clinical manifestations such as microcephaly and Guillain‐Barré syndrome. On February 1, 2016, WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the magnitude of the outbreak, which then officially ended in November 2016.
Methods
Ever since the Brazilian authority released the first report of autochthonous transmission of ZIKV in 2015, it became the object of interdisciplinary investigation and global research collaboration. To follow and understand the trend of ZIKV research, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of ZIKV publications during 2014-2018, by using the scientific database Scopus.
Results
We found that the number of ZIKV related publications increased in 2016, 2017, and 2018 (39.2, 56.5, and 58.5 times, respectively) compared to an average number of publications (23.5) in 2014-2015. During the five years, there was not only an increment of publication numbers but also the area of research was expanded. In 2014-2015, the majority in the research area was epidemiological research with the aims to report the consequence of the ZIKV outbreak, and the trend was shifted to the development of diagnostic methods, antiviral treatment, and vaccine in the following three years. In addition, the number of countries involved in ZIKV research increased from 11 and 13 in 2014-2015 to 59, 67, and 66 in 2016-2018, showing that ZIKV research was changed from a low-level stage to active and globalized in the coming five years.
Conclusions
Our results highlight the importance of gathering public interest when the world is facing the phase of global health alert, and how it can drive the research field from inactive to active. However, despite this enormous progress in ongoing ZIKV research, many questions are yet to be answered and should be addressed to accelerate the development of effective ZIKV countermeasures. Nevertheless, our systematic review and meta-analysis emphasized the importance of a worldwide multidisciplinary effort to combat outbreaks or unknown infectious disease threats in the future.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3