A preliminary scientometric investigation of malaria research

Abstract

An analysis of 2275 papers on malaria research published in journals and indexed by Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International (CABI) CD-ROM incorporating Tropical Diseases Bulletin (TDB), and Pub Med Medline (web edition) in 1990 and 2000 indicates that the Science Citation Index (SCI) covered only about 68% of the output indexed by CABI and Pub Med. Malaria research output is highly scattered both in terms of the sub-fields of the journals as well as the publishing country of the journals. The publication activity in Brazil increased significantly during 2000 as compared to 1990. Most of the prolific institutions are located in the developed countries, particularly in the UK and the USA. 'Parasite biology' constitutes the highest output (37%) followed by 'epidemiology'(19%) and 'drug resistance and antimalarials' (16%). USA and Australia emphasized different aspects of 'parasite biology'. China and Brazil emphasized different facets of 'epidemiology'. Nigeria and Thailand paid more attention to 'complicated malaria and its adverse effects' and 'drug resistance and antimalarials'.