Assessment of research productivity of Arab countries in the field of infectious diseases using Web of Science database

Infectious Diseases of Poverty

Sa’ed H Zyoud¹  Mustafa A Ghanim⁴  Adham S AbuTaha³  Ansam F Sawalha³  Alaeddin Abuzanat²  Samah W Al-Jabi¹  Waleed M Sweileh³ 

[1] Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine;Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine;Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine;Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

关键词: Web of science;    Arab world;    Infectious diseases;    Bibliometric;   

Others  :  1133669
DOI  :  10.1186/2049-9957-4-2

 received in 2014-08-27, accepted in 2014-12-22,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

To meet the future challenges of infectious diseases and limit the spread of multidrug resistant microorganisms, a better understanding of published studies in the field of infectious diseases is needed. The objective of this study was to analyze the quantity and quality of research activity in the field of infectious diseases in Arab countries and compare it with that in non-Arab countries.

Methods

Documents published in Arab countries within the research category of “infectious diseases” were extracted and analyzed using the Web of Science database. The data analyzed represent research productivity during the time interval between 1900 – 2012.

Results

Worldwide, the total number of documents published in the field of infectious diseases up to 2012 was 227,188. A total of 2,408 documents in the field of infectious diseases were published in Arab countries, which represents 1.06% of worldwide research output. Research output from Arab countries in the field of infectious diseases was low for decades. However, approximately a five-fold increase was observed in the past decade. Arab countries ranked 56^th to 218^th on the standard competition ranking (SCR) in worldwide publications in the field of infectious diseases. Egypt, with a total publication of 464 (19.27%) documents ranked first among Arab countries, while Kuwait University was the most productive institution with a total of 158 (6.56%) documents. Average citation per document published in Arab countries was 13.25 and the h-index was 64. Tuberculosis (230; 9.55%), malaria (223; 9.26%), and hepatitis (189; 7.8%) were the top three infectious diseases studied as according to the retrieved documents.

Conclusion

The present data reveals that some Arab countries contribute significantly to the field of infectious diseases. However, Arab countries need to work harder to bridge the gap in this field. Compared with non-Arab countries in the Middle East, research output from Arab countries was high, but more efforts are needed to enhance the quality of this output. Future research in the field should be encouraged and correctly directed.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Sweileh et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Batniji R, Khatib L, Cammett M, Sweet J, Basu S, Jamal A, Wise P, Giacaman R: Governance and health in the Arab world. Lancet 2014, 383:343-355.
• [2]Jabbour S, Giacaman R, Yamout R, Khawaja M: Public health in the Arab World. Cambridge University Press; 2012.
• [3]Mokdad AH, Jaber S, Aziz MI, AlBuhairan F, AlGhaithi A, AlHamad NM, Al-Hooti SN, Al-Jasari A, AlMazroa MA, AlQasmi AM, et al.: The state of health in the Arab world, 1990–2010: an analysis of the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. Lancet 2014, 383:309-320.
• [4]Arie S: Polio outbreak leads to calls for a “vaccination ceasefire” in Syria. BMJ 2013, 347:f6682.
• [5]Khwaif J, Hayyawi A, Yousif T: Cholera outbreak in Baghdad in 2007: an epidemiological study. East Mediterr Health J 2010, 16:584-589.
• [6]Memish ZA, Zumla AI, Al-Hakeem RF, Al-Rabeeah AA, Stephens GM: Family cluster of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infections. N Engl J Med 2013, 368:2487-2494.
• [7]Assiri A, Al-Tawfiq JA, Al-Rabeeah AA, Al-Rabiah FA, Al-Hajjar S, Al-Barrak A, Flemban H, Al-Nassir WN, Balkhy HH, Al-Hakeem RF: Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study. Lancet Infect Dis 2013, 13:752-761.
• [8]Al-Ahdal MN, Al-Qahtani AA, Rubino S: Coronavirus respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia. J Infect Dev Ctries 2012, 6:692-694.
• [9]Shibl A, Senok A, Memish Z: Infectious diseases in the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt. Clin Microbiol Infect 2012, 18:1068-1080.
• [10]Al-Tawfiq JA, Memish ZA: The Hajj: updated health hazards and current recommendations for 2012. Euro Surveill 2012, 17:6-10.
• [11]Mandourah Y, Al-Radi A, Ocheltree AH, Ocheltree SR, Fowler RA: Clinical and temporal patterns of severe pneumonia causing critical illness during Hajj. BMC Infect Dis 2012, 12:117. BioMed Central Full Text
• [12]Alwan A: Responding to priority health challenges in the Arab world. Lancet 2014, 383:284-286.
• [13]Aamir U, Wernery U, Ilyushina N, Webster R: Characterization of avian H9N2 influenza viruses from United Arab Emirates 2000 to 2003. Virology 2007, 361:45-55.
• [14]Abdelwhab EM, Hafez HM: An overview of the epidemic of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in Egypt: epidemiology and control challenges. Epidemiol Infect 2011, 139:647-657.
• [15]Gasim GI, Murad IA, Adam I: Hepatitis B and C virus infections among pregnant women in Arab and African countries. J Infect Dev Ctries 2013, 7:566-578.
• [16]Mohamoud YA, Mumtaz GR, Riome S, Miller D, Abu-Raddad LJ: The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in Egypt: a systematic review and data synthesis. BMC Infect Dis 2013, 13:288. BioMed Central Full Text
• [17]Daw MA, Dau AA: Hepatitis C virus in Arab world: a state of concern. ScientificWorldJournal 2012, 2012:719494.
• [18]Adam I, Elhassan EM, Haggaz AD, Ali AAA, Adam GK: A perspective of the epidemiology of malaria and anaemia and their impact on maternal and perinatal outcomes in Sudan. J Infect Dev Ctries 2011, 5:83-87.
• [19]Awofeso N: Towards global Guinea worm eradication in 2015: the experience of South Sudan. Int J Infect Dis 2013, 17:E577-E582.
• [20]Hassan OA, Ahlm C, Sang R, Evander M: The 2007 Rift Valley Fever Outbreak in Sudan. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011, 5:e1229.
• [21]Ruiz-Postigo JA, Franco JR, Lado M, Simarro PP: Human African Trypanosomiasis in South Sudan: How Can We Prevent a New Epidemic? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012, 6:e1541.
• [22]Ramsay A, Al-Agbhari N, Scherchand J, Al-Sonboli N, Almotawa A, Gammo M, Gauchan P, Yassin MA, Cuevas LE: Direct patient costs associated with tuberculosis diagnosis in Yemen and Nepal. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2010, 14:165-170.
• [23]Sady H, Al-Mekhlafi HM, Mahdy MAK, Lim YAL, Mahmud R, Surin J: Prevalence and Associated Factors of Schistosomiasis among Children in Yemen: Implications for an Effective Control Programme. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013, 7:e2377.
• [24]Balkhy HH, Memish ZA: Rift Valley fever: an uninvited zoonosis in the Arabian peninsula. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2003, 21:153-157.
• [25]Nemenqani D, Yaqoob N, Khoja H: Breast Brucellosis in Taif, Saudi Arabia: cluster of six cases with emphasis on FNA evaluation. J Infect Dev Ctries 2009, 3:255-259.
• [26]Al-Majali AM, Shorman M: Childhood brucellosis in Jordan: prevalence and analysis of risk factors. Int J Infect Dis 2009, 13:196-200.
• [27]Samaha H, Al-Rowaily M, Khoudair RM, Ashour HM: Multicenter Study of Brucellosis in Egypt. Emerg Infect Dis 2008, 14:1916-1918.
• [28]Sadjjadi SM: Present situation of echinococcosis in the Middle East and Arabic North Africa. Parasitol Int 2006, 55:S197-S202.
• [29]Hotez PJ, Savioli L, Fenwick A: Neglected tropical diseases of the Middle East and North Africa: review of their prevalence, distribution, and opportunities for control. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012, 6:e1475.
• [30]Aldeyab MA, Kearney MP, Scott MG, Aldiab MA, Alahmadi YM, Elhajji FWD, Magee FA, McElnay JC: An evaluation of the impact of antibiotic stewardship on reducing the use of high-risk antibiotics and its effect on the incidence of Clostridium difficile infection in hospital settings. J Antimicrob Chemother 2012, 67:2988-2996.
• [31]Hamzeh AR, Al Najjar M, Mahfoud M: Prevalence of antibiotic resistance among Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Aleppo, Syria. Am J Infect Control 2012, 40:776-777.
• [32]Bakour S, Touati A, Sahli F, Ameur AA, Haouchine D, Rolain JM: Antibiotic resistance determinants of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates in Algeria. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2013, 76:529-531.
• [33]Finley RL, Collignon P, Larsson DGJ, McEwen SA, Li XZ, Gaze WH, Reid-Smith R, Timinouni M, Graham DW, Topp E: The Scourge of Antibiotic Resistance: The Important Role of the Environment. Clin Infect Dis 2013, 57:704-710.
• [34]Garbati MA, Bin Abdulhak A, Baba K, Sakkijha H: Infection due to colistin-resistant Enterobacteriacae in critically-ill patients. J Infect Dev Ctries 2013, 7:713-719.
• [35]Osman KM, Marouf SH, Alatfeehy N: Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence-Associated Genes of Salmonella enterica Subsp enterica Serotypes Muenster, Florian, Omuna, and Noya Strains Isolated from Clinically Diarrheic Humans in Egypt. Microb Drug Resist 2013, 19:370-377.
• [36]Zumla A, Abubakar I, Raviglione M, Hoelscher M, Ditiu L, McHugh TD, Squire SB, Cox H, Ford N, McNerney R, et al.: Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis-Current Dilemmas, Unanswered Questions, Challenges, and Priority Needs. J Infect Dis 2012, 205:S228-S240.
• [37]Menif K, Bouziri A, Khaldi A, Hamdi A, Belhadj S, Borgi A, Fitouri Z, Ben Jaballah N: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in a pediatric intensive care unit. J Infect Dev Ctries 2011, 5:587-591.
• [38]Buzaid N, Elzouki AN, Taher I, Ghenghesh KS: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a tertiary surgical and trauma hospital in Benghazi, Libya. J Infect Dev Ctries 2011, 5:723-726.
• [39]Bissar-Tadmouri N, Tadmouri GO: Bibliometric analyses of biomedical research outputs in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (1988–2007). Saudi Med J 2009, 30:130-139.
• [40]Sweileh WM, Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sawalha AF: Assessing urology and nephrology research activity in Arab countries using ISI web of science bibliometric database. BMC Res Notes 2014, 7:258. BioMed Central Full Text
• [41]Thomson R: Web of Knowledge. 2013. [cited 2013 December 11]; Available from: http://wokinfo.com/media/pdf/SSR1103443WoK5-2_web3.pdf webcite
• [42]Sweileh WM, Al-Jabi SW, Zyoud SH, Sawalha AF: Bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: research activity in Arab countries. Multidiscip Respir Med 2014, 9:38. BioMed Central Full Text
• [43]Sweileh WM, Al-Jabi SW, Zyoud SH, Sawalha AF, Ghanim MA: Osteoporosis is a neglected health priority in Arab World: a comparative bibliometric analysis. Springerplus 2014, 3:427. BioMed Central Full Text
• [44]Sweileh WM, Zyoud SE, Al-Jabi SW, Sawalha AF: Substance use disorders in Arab countries: research activity and bibliometric analysis. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2014, 9:33. BioMed Central Full Text
• [45]Sweileh WM, Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sawalha AF: Quantity and quality of obesity-related research in Arab countries: assessment and comparative analysis. Health Res Policy Syst 2014, 12:33. BioMed Central Full Text
• [46]Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM: Worldwide research productivity in the field of electronic cigarette: a bibliometric analysis. BMC Public Health 2014, 14:667. BioMed Central Full Text
• [47]Sweileh W, Al-Jabi S, Sawalha A: Zyoud Se: Bibliometric analysis of nutrition and dietetics research activity in Arab countries using ISI Web of Science database. SpringerPlus 2014, 3:718. BioMed Central Full Text
• [48]Compton A: Sensitization and immunization with bacteriophage in experimental plague. J Infect Dis 1928, 43:448-457.
• [49]Vinkler P: Eminence of scientists in the light of the h-index and other scientometric indicators. J Inform Sci 2007, 33:481-491.
• [50]Jacsó P: The pros and cons of computing the h-index using Web of Science. Online Inform Rev 2008, 32:673-688.
• [51]Jacsó P: The pros and cons of computing the h-index using Scopus. Online Inform Rev 2008, 32:524-535.
• [52]Jacsó P: The pros and cons of computing the h-index using Google Scholar. Online Inform Rev 2008, 32:437-452.
• [53]Lehmann S, Jackson AD, Lautrup BE: Measures for measures. Nature 2006, 444:1003-1004.
• [54]Hirsch JE: Does the h index have predictive power? Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007, 104:19193-19198.
• [55]Leventhal A, Ramlawi A, Belbiesi A, Balicer RD: Regional collaboration in the Middle East to deal with H5N1 avian flu. BMJ 2006, 333:856-858.
• [56]Saad MD, Lu’ay SA, Gamal-Eldein MA, Fouda MK, Khalil FM, Yingst SL, Parker MA, Montevillel MR: Possible avian influenza (H5N1) from migratory bird, Egypt. Emerg Infect Dis 2007, 13:1120-1121.
• [57]Meleigy M: Egypt battles with avian influenza. Lancet 2007, 370:553-554.
• [58]Aly M, Arafa A, Hassan M: Epidemiological findings of outbreaks of disease caused by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in poultry in Egypt during 2006. Avian Dis 2008, 52:269-277.
• [59]Lu L, Liu Q, Du L, Jiang S: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): challenges in identifying its source and controlling its spread. Microbes Infect 2013, 15:625-629.
• [60]de Groot RJ, Baker SC, Baric RS, Brown CS, Drosten C, Enjuanes L, Fouchier RA, Galiano M, Gorbalenya AE, Memish ZA: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): announcement of the Coronavirus Study Group. J Virol 2013, 87:7790-7792.
• [61]Ithete NL, Stoffberg S, Corman VM, Cottontail VM, Richards LR, Schoeman MC, Drosten C, Drexler JF, Preiser W: Close relative of human Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in bat, South Africa. Emerg Infect Dis 2013, 19:1697-1699.
• [62]Bermingham A, Chand M, Brown C, Aarons E, Tong C, Langrish C, Hoschler K, Brown K, Galiano M, Myers R: Severe respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, in a patient transferred to the United Kingdom from the Middle East, September 2012. Euro Surveill 2012, 17:20290.
• [63]Bakonyi T, Ivanics T, Erdelyi K, Ursu K, Ferenczi E, Weissenbock H, Nowotny N: Lineage 1 and 2 strains of encephalitic West Nile virus, central Europe. Emerg Infect Dis 2006, 12:618-623.
• [64]Andreadis TG, Anderson JF, Vossbrinck CR, Main AJ: Epidemiology of West Nile virus in Connecticut: A five-year analysis of mosquito data 1999–2003. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2004, 4:360-378.
• [65]Shah NS, Wright A, Bai GH, Barrera L, Boulahbal F, Martin-Casabona N, Drobniewski F, Gilpin C, Havelkova M, Lepe R, et al.: Worldwide emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Emerg Infect Dis 2007, 13:380-387.
• [66]Bucheton B, Kheir MM, El-Safi SH, Hammad A, Mergani A, Mary C, Abel L, Dessein A: The interplay between environmental and host factors during an outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Sudan. Microbes Infect 2002, 4:1449-1457.
• [67]Dereure J, El-Safi SH, Bucheton B, Boni M, Kheir MM, Davoust B, Pratlong F, Feugier E, Lambert M, Dessein A, Dedet JP: Visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Sudan: parasite identification in humans and dogs; host-parasite relationships. Microbes Infect 2003, 5:1103-1108.
• [68]Reithinger R, Dujardin JC, Louzir H, Pirmez C, Alexander B, Brooker S: Cutaneous leishmaniasis. Lancet Infect Dis 2007, 7:581-596.
• [69]Bordons M, Gomez I, Fernandez MT, Zulueta MA, Mendez A: Local, domestic and international scientific collaboration in biomedical research. Scientometrics 1996, 37:279-295.
• [70]Bozeman B, Corley E: Scientists’ collaboration strategies: implications for scientific and technical human capital. Res Policy 2004, 33:599-616.
• [71]Wagner CS: Six case studies of international collaboration in science. Scientometrics 2005, 62:3-26.
• [72]Basu A, Kumar BSV: International collaboration in Indian scientific papers. Scientometrics 2000, 48:381-402.
• [73]Nauen CE: Ten years of international scientific cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture and coastal zones: some preliminary lessons. Environ Dev Sustain 2008, 10:605-622.
• [74]Hermez J, Petrak J, Karkouri M, Riedner G: A review of HIV testing and counseling policies and practices in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. AIDS 2010, 24:S25-S32.
• [75]Alkaiyat A, Weiss MG: HIV in the Middle East and North Africa: priority, culture, and control. Int J Public Health 2013, 58:927-937.
• [76]Moulin AM: The social and political issues of vaccinations. Med Mal Infect 2003, 33:564-569.
• [77]Jumaa PA: Hand hygiene: simple and complex. Int J Infect Dis 2005, 9:3-14.