Global mpox research in the light of the current outbreak: demands, drivers, and obstacles

Abstract

Following the current outbreak, the mpox virus (formerly: monkeypox virus) is a highly threatening pathogen with public health significance, although mpox is still considered a neglected disease. Previously confined mainly to Africa, the virus spread globally in 2022. However, knowledge about mpox is limited, causing a distorted perception of the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to collect all information on scientific mpox publishing and to analyse them according to their chronological, geographical, and epidemiological patterns. It was not until the global outbreak that the relatively small number of publications was replaced by the immense increase in annual publication numbers. The most important player is the USA with a central role in international networking. They collaborated mainly with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a primary endemic country where the first viral clades were determined. Nigeria and other African countries were also represented, although mainly in the form of co-authorships. The fact that few of the first authors are from low- or middle-economic countries demonstrates the need to promote equitable networking at the global level and their support for surveillance and targeted immunization programmes.

Keywords: Monkeypox; authorship; collaboration; outbreak; publication analysis.

Graphical abstract

Figure 1.

Annual publication and citation numbers until 10/05/2022.

Figure 2.

Publication output of countries. (A) Number of publications. (B) Number of citations. (C) Citation rate (threshold = 10 publications on mpox).

Figure 3.

Development of the relative share of the most publishing countries of mpox research in 4-year intervals from 2003 until 2022.

Figure 4.

Number of registered cases of mpox [45]. (A) Ratio of the number of mpox cases registered until November 2022 and the number of articles on mpox per country. (B) Ratio of the number of articles on mpox and the cases registered until November 2022. (C) Residual of linear regression between number of articles on mpox and new cases of mpox per country.

Figure 5.

International collaborations (display threshold ≥ 3 collaboration articles). Numbers in brackets (articles on mpox / collaboration articles), DRC = Democratic Republic Congo.