Abstract
An unprecedented outbreak of the Ebola virus in 2014 claimed more than 1000 lives in West Africa and the World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency. This outbreak will undoubtedly promote additional research related to the Ebola virus and will create debate related to experimental drugs. This article identified the quantum of research in the field since 1991; the scientific disciplines that contributed to the field; the countries, organisations and authors that supported such research and the most cited articles. An increasing trend in annual production during 1991–2013 was observed. Journal of Virology, Journal of Infectious Diseases, and Virology were the three most productive journals in the field. Similarly, the field of virology dominated the 73 categories in which the Ebola research was classified. A total of 63 countries contributed to Ebola-related research, led by the USA. The most productive institutions were the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. African countries were more likely to be involved in international collaboration than independent research. The most influential article exhibited a notable citation pattern and presented global trends in emerging infectious diseases.
Highlights
The worst Ebola outbreak in recorded history claimed more than 1000 victims1 by 20 August 2014
The percentage of articles related to Ebola was lower than general medically-related fields, such as asthma in children14 and Japanese lung cancer research15, but was much higher than special infection research of severe acute respiratory syndrome16 and Helicobacter pylori17
A high percentage of news items could be found in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) research16, which was studied after its outbreak in 200318
Summary
The worst Ebola outbreak in recorded history claimed more than 1000 victims by 20 August 2014. It affected West Africa and Nigeria directly, but fears of its spreading affected the rest of the World. The 2014 Ebola outbreak was first diagnosed in the remote southeastern area of Nzerekore in Guinea in February 2014, but subsequently spread to neighbouring Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.. Ebola’s origin is not known, but it is suspected that it is transmitted through forest bats. It can be transmitted between humans by touching sufferers or through body fluids.. The deadliest episode was the first recorded outbreak in 1976 which killed 280 people in Central Africa.
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