Chemotherapy against Toxoplasma gondii: A bibliometric analysis of in vitro and mouse model studies (2015–2024)

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a widespread parasitic infection with significant health impacts, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Chemotherapy remains the main treatment, but current therapies are limited by side effects and contraindications. This bibliometric analysis reviews research from 2015 to 2024 to identify key trends and future directions for T. gondii chemotherapy. We used the Web of Science Core Collection database to identify original articles on chemotherapy and T. gondii published in the last ten years. After screening, the data was transferred to visualization tools, including VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace, for comprehensive analysis. Our analysis covered 433 articles from 164 journals, authored by 2,346 researchers from 577 institutions across 48 countries. China, Egypt, the USA, Iran, and Brazil made the largest contributions in terms of both publications and citation counts. Leading authors based on publication output include Andrew Hemphill (University of Bern, Switzerland), Ahmad Daryani (Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran), and Chunmei Jin (Yanbian University, China). The highest citation counts were attributed to Andrew Hemphill, Wesley Van Voorhis (University of Washington, USA), and Kayode Ojo (University of Washington). Key journals shaping this area include Experimental Parasitology, Parasitology Research, and Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. The most-cited article is from the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, describing a novel inhibitor of Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 1 (CDPK1) as a promising toxoplasmosis treatment. Emerging topics include nanocarrier-based delivery systems and natural product derivatives. This study offers a comprehensive overview and visual analysis of chemotherapy and T. gondii, highlighting key areas for future research.