Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in the last four decades (1981-2025): global output, collaboration networks, and emerging frontiers.

Authors

Md Zulfekar Ali, Uwem Okon Edet, Olanrewaju E Igah, Edema Enogiomwan Imalele, Mirza Mienur Meher, Clement Meseko

Published in

Tropical animal health and production. Volume 58. Issue 6. Jul 15, 2026. Epub Jul 15, 2026.

Abstract

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) was first described in the 1930s and 40s, yet there is no study that has examined global research landscape of this important zoonosis. We undertook the first global and holistic bibliometric analysis on CCHF aimed at revealing gaps, trends and collaborative networks. We applied the SPAR-4-SLR protocol together with an expansive set of keywords to search and retrieve relevant studies from the Scopus database. Using our pre-defined inclusion criteria and removal of duplicates, a final dataset of 2540 studies were included for analysis. The dataset were analysed in Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and R software. A total of 2,540 CCHF publications (1981-2025) were included in the final analysis. Overall, the number of studies showed a steady annual growth rate of 6.79%, with a sharp rise in outputs and citations after 2010. The correlation coefficient stood at R² = 0.79. The research landscape was dominated by multi-authored collaborations, strong international partnerships, and a high share of original articles. Key contributors were from Iran, Turkey, the United States (USA), and Europe, with major funding driven by NIAID, NIH, and the European Commission. Funders and authors from African and other poorer regions were disproportionately lower despite the Congo (Africa) being the co-origin of the virus. Highly cited papers highlight advances in epidemiology, diagnostics, and tick-virus ecology. Frequently used keywords reflect strong focus on humans, CCHF virus, and surveillance. Core journals include Emerging Infectious Diseases, Antiviral Research, and PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Keyword analysis showed a gradual transition from early basic studies to mechanistic, molecular, and One Health-oriented investigations. The CCHF research landscape is growing steadily, driven by strong international collaborations and major funding agencies. Persistent focus on surveillance and public health preparedness indicates a maturing, globally coordinated research landscape essential for controlling CCHF and protect public health.

PMID:
42455241
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Jul 2026.

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