A scientometric study of syphilis research by dermatologists and stomatologists: Underpinning their roles in public health

Abstract

Background/Purpose

The Lancet Infectious Diseases launched a call to action for dermatologists in the rise of syphilis. In practice, dermatologists and stomatologists perform early diagnoses of syphilis and refer patients to adequate treatment.

Materials and methods

This scientometric study aimed to investigate and compare research trends and characteristics of syphilis publications by dermatologists and stomatologists in the Scopus database, with emphasis on the analysis of the keywords that can reflect research directions and topics of concern.

Results

Among 18,120 papers on syphilis, 1981 (10.9%) and 201 (1.1%) were published by dermatologists and stomatologists, respectively. The total citation count was 18,629 and 2,376 with an h index of 52 and 25 for publications by dermatologists and stomatologists, respectively. Common keywords in papers by both dermatologists and stomatologists included male, Treponema pallidum, benzathine penicillin, differential diagnosis, human immunodeficiency virus, secondary syphilis, syphilis serology, cutaneous syphilis, neurosyphilis, congenital syphilis, lymphadenopathy, chancre, gonorrhea, rash, erythema, and papule. Distinctive keywords used by dermatologists included infant, pregnancy complications, lymphocytic infiltration, spirochete, and genetics. Keywords that included questionnaire, awareness, infection risk, attitude to health, sexual health, oral sex, and unprotected sex were used by stomatologists.

Conclusion

In the modern context, both dermatologists and stomatologists play important roles in providing early recognition and timely diagnosis of syphilis, advocating for public health campaigns aimed at increasing awareness, and improving access to care for at-risk patient populations.