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Global Research Trends on Campylobacter spp. and Human Health: A bibliometric analysis (2017–2025) [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Дата публикации: 17-08-2026 11:53:37
Background Campylobacter spp. is among the leading causes of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide, with infections caused by Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli the most common. These infections pose a major challenge to global public health. Despite the recent increase in scientific output on these bacteria, comprehensive analyses of research trends remain limited. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on Campylobacte network maps. Results A total of 3,027 research articles on Campylobacter spp. were screened, and the number of publications on Campylobacter spp. has been increasing year by year. The United States leads in the number of publications, with China following in second place. Frontiers in Microbiology has published the most articles on this research topic. The International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, is the most influential institution. Ahmed T., Li Y., and Houpt E. R. are among the most impactful in terms of publications, having published the most articles. The article by Tacconelli et al. (2018) receives the most global citations, followed by those by Anzalone et al. (2020). “Gastroenteritis,” “diarrhea,” “campylobacteriosis,” and “children” are the most frequently used keywords in this research area. C. jejuni and C. coli are the most studied species within the genus Campylobacter spp. Conclusions This bibliometric review offers a thorough overview of Campylobacter spp. in human health, highlighting publication trends, collaboration networks, and key themes. It underscores the importance of continued research to improve the tracking and control of this pathogen.
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Research Article
[version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5338-1067
1, MELAYLOU Fedwa1, NAFAI Manalhttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-5762-4154
2, EL ABDALLAOUI Yassine3, LAMZOURI Afaf4,5, CHAHBOUNE Rajaa1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5338-1067
1, MELAYLOU Fedwa1, [...] NAFAI Manalhttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-5762-4154
2, EL ABDALLAOUI Yassine3, LAMZOURI Afaf4,5, CHAHBOUNE Rajaa11 Molecular Biology Unit, Research Laboratory of Life and Health Sciences, Department of Fundamental Pre-clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University,, Tetouan, Morocco
2 Research Team in Biotechnology & Biomolecules Engineering (ERBGB, Faculty of Science and Technology of Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tangier, Morocco., Tanger, 90000, Morocco
3 Biomesnana Medical Analysis Laboratory, Tangier, 90000, Morocco
4 Genetic Unit, Life and Health Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tanger, 90000, Morocco
5 Department of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Tanger, 90000, Morocco
Otmane Aouad
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
MELAYLOU Fedwa
Roles: Data Curation, Funding Acquisition, Methodology, Resources, Visualization
NAFAI Manal
Roles: Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Resources, Visualization
EL ABDALLAOUI Yassine
Roles: Formal Analysis, Methodology, Resources
LAMZOURI Afaf
Roles: Methodology, Software, Supervision, Validation
CHAHBOUNE Rajaa
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
OPEN PEER REVIEW
REVIEWER STATUS AWAITING PEER REVIEW
1. Introduction
Campylobacter species are zoonotic pathogens (Man, 2011). Many animals and birds, particularly broilers, can carry Campylobacter spp. without clinical signs and shed the bacteria in their faeces (Sadek et al., 2023). Among the Campylobacter species, the most commonly reported in humans are C. jejuni and C. coli (Chukwu et al., 2024). C. jejuni usually represents 90% of human gastroenteritis cases in the United Kingdom States; C. coli accounts for the remaining approximately 10%. Additionally, most human strains were identified as commensal gastrointestinal inhabitants of domesticated animals (Sheppard and Maiden, 2015).
Humans primarily contract the pathogen by consuming undercooked poultry meat, contaminated food, or animal products ( Figure 1) (Wilson et al., 2008). This strain is associated with gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as campylobacteriosis (Silva et al., 2011). Infected individuals typically present with symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and fever a few days after exposure to Campylobacter (Kaakoush et al., 2015). In developing regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, asymptomatic Campylobacter infections are common and often endemic, with a higher incidence in children (Taniuchi et al., 2013) (Pazzaglia et al., 1991). In contrast, in developed regions, asymptomatic Campylobacter infections are uncommon (Nichols et al., 2012).
The precise global and national incidence of campylobacteriosis remains poorly defined. However, its worldwide incidence has been increasing over the past decade (Taniuchi et al., 2013) (Kubota et al., 2011). Research on foodborne illnesses in the USA revealed that Campylobacter spp. was responsible for approximately 9% of these cases, while norovirus accounted for 58% (Scallan et al., 2011). In the USA, Campylobacter spp. is the most common bacterial cause of diarrhoea (Fitzgerald, 2015). The reported incidence of campylobacteriosis in the UK is 9.3 per 1,000 person-years, while in the Netherlands it is 5.8 per 1,000 person-years (De Wit et al., 2001) (Tam et al., 2012).
Campylobacteriosis is generally self-limiting; however, in severe cases, antibiotics such as macrolides or fluoroquinolones may be required. Alarmingly, international studies have reported treatment-resistant Campylobacter spp. in humans, poultry, and food products, posing a significant threat to global treatment efforts (McCrackin et al., 2016) (Mukherjee et al., 2014).
In recent years, bibliometric analyses have been widely used to explore research trends in infectious diseases, zoonoses, and gastrointestinal disorders, providing valuable insights into scientific productivity, collaboration networks, and emerging research themes. However, despite the clinical and epidemiological importance of Campylobacter spp., no comprehensive bibliometric study has specifically focused on the medical and human health dimensions of Campylobacter infections. We therefore conducted this bibliometric study to assess research output and scientific contributions on Campylobacter spp.
The main objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on Campylobacter spp. of human health from 2017 to 2025, in order to provide a global overview of research, identify key contributors, and characterise research trends, thematic developments over time, and research hotspots, and outline emerging trends to support future research in this field.
2. Materials and methods
2.1 Study design
This study was designed as a descriptive bibliometric analysis to map and quantify the scientific literature on Campylobacter spp. in the context of human health and medical research. Bibliometric methods were employed to evaluate publication trends, citation impact, authorship patterns, international collaborations, and the thematic evolution of research on the prevalence and clinical significance of Campylobacter spp. infections in humans.
2.2 Data source
Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus database (Elsevier), widely recognized for its comprehensive coverage of peer-reviewed literature in medicine, public health, and the life sciences. Scopus was selected for its high-quality indexing, standardized metadata, and compatibility with bibliometric analysis tools. The literature search was conducted on 10 January 2026 and included publications indexed between 2017 and 2025, spanning a recent decade marked by increased surveillance and reporting of human Campylobacteriosis.
2.3 Search strategy
A structured Boolean search query was applied to the TITLE-ABS-KEY fields to ensure high relevance to human medical research. The final search strategy was as follows:
TITLE-ABS-KEY (campylobacter OR “campylobacter jejuni” OR “campylobacter coli”) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (“human” OR “human infection” OR “clinical” OR “medical” OR “public health” OR “gastroenteritis” OR “diarrhea”) AND PUBYEAR >2016 AND PUBYEAR <2026 AND NOT TITLE-ABS-KEY (animal OR animals OR poultry OR chicken OR livestock OR cattle OR agriculture OR veterinary).
2.4 Eligibility criteria
To ensure the quality and relevance of the selected corpus, several inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied.
✓ Inclusion criteria:
- Publications focusing on Campylobacter spp. in human health or clinical settings.
- The included subject areas are: Medicine, Immunology and Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutics.
- Articles Publisher between 2017 and 2025.
- Peer-reviewed articles and reviews.
✓ Exclusion criteria:
- Studies exclusively related to animals, poultry, livestock, or veterinary medicine.
- Experimental animal models without human data.
- Articles outside the medical or public health scope.
- Non-English publications.
After applying these inclusion and exclusion criteria, all publications were exported in CSV format, with complete bibliographic information.
2.5 Bibliometric tools
Bibliometric analyses were conducted using the Bibliometrix package through the Biblioshiny interface. This tool was selected for its strong analytical capabilities, efficiency, and popularity in scientific mapping research. The analysis includes annual publication counts, geographic distribution, indicators of international collaboration, and examination of journals, institutions, and authors. It also features thematic visualizations such as the three-field plot, treemap, cumulative keyword trends, and thematic evolution. Additionally, the figures display the distribution of Campylobacter species.
Network mapping was carried out using VOSviewer, which allows keyword analysis, co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence networks, along with corresponding density maps.
3. Results
3.1 Overview of data
During the study period, which spans 2017 to 2025, a total of 3,027 publications on Campylobacter spp. in human health were identified from 1,022 sources, reflecting the expected dissemination and sustained interest across various journals. The annual growth rate of 3.17% reflects a gradual, steady expansion in scientific output, indicating continued scientific interest in this bacterium in recent years. Scientific output is driven by a community of 17,613 authors, with an average of 7.7 co-authors per article, reflecting a highly consolidated collaborative organization. The low proportion of single-author publications (n = 73) confirms the strong collaborative dimension in this field. The rate of international co-publications (27.39%) (Figure 2) highlights the global dimension of research on Campylobacter spp. and their worldwide distribution. In addition, the corpus has a significant scientific impact, with an average of 23.03 citations per document and an average age of 4.68 years (Figure 2). Finally, the thematic richness is demonstrated by the presence of 6,580 keywords, reflecting the thematic diversity and structure of multiple research areas within the scope of this study.
3.2 Annual publication trends in Campylobacter research (2017–2025)
An analysis of annual scientific output from 2017 to 2025, measured by the number of articles published each year (Figure 3) shows an overall upward trend. Between 2017 and 2019, the number of publications remained stable. From 2020 onwards, there was a significant increase, which continued until 2022. In that year, production peaked during the period studied. A gradual decline is observed from 2023 onwards, but the volume remains higher than in the early years, confirming the field’s consolidation.
3.3 Geographic distribution of publications
The geographical analysis of publications relating to Campylobacter spp. in human health (Figure 4), including national (SCP) and international (MCP) contributions, the annual trend in publications, and their geographical distribution, shows structured international participation and a dominance of publications in certain scientific hubs.
Figure 4. A. Geographic distribution of Campylobacter research output by country.
B. Temporal trends in country-level scientific publications on Campylobacter in human health (2017–2025). C. Distribution of single-country publications (SCP) and multiple-country publications (MCP).
The United States ranks first in total publication volume and shows continuous growth throughout the study period, confirming its central role in shaping knowledge in this field. China ranks second, with production increasing from 2020 onwards, reflecting significant growth in its scientific power and strengthening international competitiveness. Major European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, exhibit more moderate, steady growth trajectories, thereby consolidating their scientific architectures. The global map reveals an uneven distribution of publications, with a high concentration in countries with significant research capacity, while other regions, such as Africa and Asia, are relatively underrepresented. Although international collaborations exist, most contributions remain national, confirming that scientific dynamics remain largely structured around dynamic central hubs.
3.4 Influential sources and journals
The analysis of the scientific impact and cumulative evolution of the main journals reveals a hierarchical structure of sources in the field of Campylobacter spp. in human health. Frontiers in Microbiology is the leading journal in the field (Figure 5A), combining both the highest H-index and the most sustained growth over the study period. Other journals, such as Clinical Infectious Diseases, Antibiotics, and Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Figure 5A), occupy intermediate positions with significant impact. There has been a remarkable acceleration in the number of publications in these journals since 2020–2021(Figure 5B), reflecting increased interest in this field. The consolidation of the field around platforms with high international visibility is evident from the concentration of publications in a limited number of specialized journals.
Figure 5. A. Leading journals in Campylobacter research related to human health based on H-index impact.
B. Cumulative growth of Campylobacter-related publications in human health across major scientific journals (2017–2025).
3.5 Leading institutions
Dynamic analysis of institutions and their temporal trajectory reveals a growing polarization in the field of research on Campylobacter spp. in human health, characterized by the predominance of a few institutions, including the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), which ranks first with 75 publications, followed by the University of California, the University of Virginia, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thus highlighting the dominance of North American institutions in guiding research in this field (Figure 6A). Other European institutions are also present, such as the Karolinska Institutet and the Bordeaux University Hospital Center. From 2020 to 2021, publications from these institutions grew at an accelerated rate, as indicated by their annual evolution (Figure 6B). This reflects the gradual strengthening of institutional investment and research capacities.
Figure 6. A. Leading contributing institutions in Campylobacter spp. research in human health (2017–2025)
B. Temporal evolution of institutional productivity in Campylobacter spp. research.
3.6. Leading authors and authorship patterns
The field saw contributions from 17,613 authors. Among these authors, Ahmed T., Li Y., Houpt E. R., and Liu J. are among the most influential in terms of publications in our field of study. However, analysis of local citations yields a different ranking, with Jacobs BC, Leonard SE, and Rinaldi S as the most influential in terms of scientific impact, with scientific impact exceeding the volume of publications (Figure 7A). The temporal distribution of publications by the main authors shows a continuous presence throughout the study period, with a notable increase in the number of publications from 2020–2021 onwards. This continuity ensures regular output in this field and the gradual orientation and consolidation of research (Figure 7B,C).
Figure 7. A. Most productive authors in Campylobacter spp. research in human health.
B. Most-cited authors in Campylobacter research related to human health. C. Temporal distribution of publications by leading authors in Campylobacter research on human health (2017–2025).
3.7. Most cited articles
The analysis of citation profiles for publications related to Campylobacter spp. in human health is presented in Figure 8A. The article by Tacconelli et al. (2018) stands out with the most citations, followed by those by Anzalone et al. (2020) and Feldgarden et al. (2019). These results reflect the importance of topics related to antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease surveillance. Analysis of local citations ( Figure 8B) shows that the two articles by Leonhard SE (2024) and Shedd N (2024) rank first, followed by those by Roman C (2017) and Sejvar JJ (2025). Furthermore, the reference Kaakoush et al. (2015) is the most cited in the study. The co-citation network ( Figure 8C) shows that the article by Kaakoush et al. (2015) forms a central core dominated by other contributions. Overall, the progress and structuring of research in this field is the result of a limited number of studies.
Figure 8. A. Globally cited publications related to Campylobacter and human health within the bibliometric corpus.
B. Most locally cited recent publications in Campylobacter research related to human health. C. Most locally cited publications in Campylobacter research related to human health. D. Citation density visualization highlighting the most influential references in Campylobacter research related to human health.
3.8. Analysis of cooperation networks
Figure 9 shows the collaborative dynamics associated with Campylobacter spp. in human health. The co-author network ( Figure 9A) shows several clusters corresponding to highly interconnected communities. Ahmed T., Liu J., Li Y., and Wang Y. are the authors who occupy central positions within these groups. The density visualization ( Figure 9B) highlights areas of significant concentration, with frequent interactions and sustained scientific output. In the mapping of international collaborations ( Figure 9C), the United States emerges as the center of the global network, maintaining links with Europe and East Asia. China also participates in a dense transnational network. Conversely, other countries have more limited connectivity.
Figure 9. A. Author co-authorship network revealing collaboration clusters in Campylobacter research on human health.
B. Author density map highlighting influential collaboration hubs in Campylobacter research related to human health. C. Global collaboration network of countries involved in Campylobacter research related to human health.
3.9. Keyword analysis and research hotspots
The thematic structure of the corpus studied is illustrated in Figure 10. Among the words most frequently associated with the term “Campylobacter” are the clinical terms “gastroenteritis,” “diarrhea,” “campylobacteriosis,” and “children.” The term “antimicrobial resistance” is among the most frequently used terms. Another group appears. It is related to post-infectious complications. These complications include Guillain-Barré syndrome. This syndrome highlights the complications. It also shows the consequences of infection with this bacterium.
Figure 10. A. Keyword co-occurrence network highlighting major research themes in Campylobacter studies related to human health.
B. Keyword density visualization identifying dominant research hotspots in Campylobacter research on human health. C. Tree map showing the most frequent keywords and subject categories in Campylobacter research related to human health.
The treemap ( Figure 10C) highlights the strong dominance of the words “human” and “humans,” followed by ‘Campylobacter’ and “Campylobacter jejuni,” confirming the centrality of this bacterium in the publications analyzed. Other terms, such as “adult,” “child,” “infant,” “adolescent,” and “aged,” are also widely used to reflect the age groups relevant to the research topic. Research on Campylobacter focuses on clinical, microbiological, and public health dimensions, as shown by the words “bacteremia,” “genetics,” “microbiology,” and “16S rRNA,” all of which are moderately dominant.
3.10. Species-specific focus of Campylobacter research in human health
The distribution of different Campylobacter spp. Species in the literature between 2017 and 2025 are shown in Figure 11. With up to 200 publications, Campylobacter jejuni stands out for its strong presence in the research world, as evidenced by the numerous studies devoted to it. Campylobacter coli ranks second, with a more recent and stable volume of publications over the years, making it an important and consistent research topic. Species such as C. fetus, C. concisus, C. lari, C. upsaliensis, and C. sputorum appear consistently throughout the study period, with a limited number of publications.
Figure 11. Temporal trends in Campylobacter species studied in human health research from 2017 to 2025.
The distribution of mentions of different Campylobacter species in human health-related literature between 2017 and 2025 is illustrated in Figure 12. Campylobacter jejuni is the dominant species, with 1,306 documents, followed by Campylobacter coli with 284 documents, confirming the importance of these two species in the research field under study. The two species, Campylobacter concisus and Campylobacter fetus, are also present, but to a lesser extent, in 82 and 80 documents, respectively. With only six documents listed, Campylobacter sputorum is the least documented species.
4. Discussion
Infections caused by Campylobacter spp. are among the leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Campylobacteriosis is a major public health problem. It affects many regions worldwide and is characterized by high incidence, widespread transmission, and significant health and economic impacts (Igwaran and Okoh, 2019) (Liu et al., 2022). One of the main causes of foodborne diseases that contribute significantly to the global burden of diarrheal diseases is Campylobacter, a zoonotic agent (Belina et al., 2024a) (Khairullah et al., 2024). Among Campylobacter species, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are responsible for most human infections. They can cause episodes of acute diarrhea accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. In some cases, these infections can lead to complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (Kaakoush et al., 2015) (Liu et al., 2022). According to international estimates, millions of cases of campylobacteriosis occur each year, with a particularly high burden in low- and middle-income countries, where surveillance and diagnostic capabilities are limited (Tumulty et al., 2024). The epidemiology of Campylobacter infections varies by geographical and socioeconomic context. In industrialized countries, infections are mainly linked to the consumption of contaminated food, while in developing countries, they are associated with environmental and sanitary factors, such as limited access to drinking water, poor hygiene conditions, and proximity to domestic animals, which can be a source of contamination (Liu et al., 2022) (Belina et al., 2024b). This difference highlights the complexity of this pathogen’s transmission routes and the disparities in infection surveillance and control systems worldwide. In this sense, scientific output related to Campylobacter has evolved in recent years; hence, there is interest in bibliometric analysis to examine this evolution. During the period studied, the volume of publications devoted to Campylobacter spp. gradually increased, reflecting the growing importance of campylobacteriosis among scientific research priorities. This increase was observed in the context of research on emerging infectious diseases and zoonotic pathogens associated with globalized food systems (Newell et al., 2010) (Scallan et al., 2015). Increased international trade in foodstuffs, as well as environmental changes, promotes the transmission of foodborne pathogens, reinforcing the need for more integrated surveillance approaches (Jones et al., 2013) (Grace, 2015). In this sense, infections caused by Campylobacter are of great importance in research and health surveillance programs, as they pose a significant risk to human health. On the other hand, this increase can also be explained by the adoption of the “One Health” concept, which is based on the interconnection between human health, animal health, and the environment. This framework is particularly relevant for Campylobacter spp., as animal reservoirs are considered a source of transmission for this pathogen. This study suggests that the United States and China have the highest publication rates on Campylobacter spp. in human health, primarily due to their leading research output, significant institutional contributions, and the high clinical and economic impact of Campylobacter in these countries. A global bibliometric analysis conducted between 2000 and 2025 revealed that the United States is the leading contributor to international scientific output on Campylobacter, accounting for 23.6% of the 5,522 publications (Sweileh, n.d.). This supremacy is part of a broader trend observed in many areas of biomedical science. The United States occupies a central position in these fields. This reflects the structure of a research ecosystem supported by public and institutional funding, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Advanced surveillance infrastructures are also available for diarrheal infections and antibiotic resistance. (Sweileh, n.d.) (Kaakoush et al., 2015) (Hlashwayo et al., 2021a). In addition, the poultry industry’s major economic importance in the United States, as well as the priority given to food safety policies, stimulates research on Campylobacter, one of the main bacterial agents responsible for foodborne gastroenteritis. Recent research has revealed that Campylobacter jejuni is widespread in China. These analyses have also highlighted a high prevalence of multidrug resistance to antimicrobials, a trend particularly observed in animal reservoirs and foodstuffs of animal origin (Li et al., 2025). The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Campylobacter coli, facilitated by the industrialization of the poultry sector and associated with the intensive use of antibiotics in livestock farming, have prompted numerous studies on the genomics, molecular epidemiology, and resistance mechanisms of these pathogens (Li et al., 2025) (Zhang et al., 2022). China’s high scientific productivity can also be explained by the combination of a significant health burden, major food safety challenges, and strong national research capabilities (Li et al., 2025) (Zhang et al., 2022). Beyond these two scientific hubs, scientific output on Campylobacter benefits from contributions from several other countries, albeit to a lesser extent. This asymmetry in scientific output worldwide is reflected in many journals. A review of human Campylobacter infections in sub-Saharan Africa identified 77 studies from only 20 of the region’s 53 countries (Hlashwayo et al., 2021b). On the other hand, another study identified 70 studies spread across 18 of the 53 countries (Hlashwayo et al., 2020), highlighting the scarcity of scientific data in many countries. This asymmetrical distribution highlights the inequalities between countries in research, investment in research, and access to the technological infrastructure needed to study foodborne pathogens. Analysis of collaborative networks reveals a gradual structuring of the research field around international partnerships. International scientific cooperation plays an important role in integrating data from diverse geographic contexts and improving our understanding of the global patterns of this pathogen’s transmission. Collaborative dynamics and international surveillance programs are advancing our understanding of the evolution and dispersion of Campylobacter populations worldwide. Analysis of institutions and authors identifies a core group of highly influential scientific contributors who greatly influence the development and structure of research on Campylobacter. As a result, a limited number of research teams account for a significant share of scientific output, thereby shaping the thematic orientation of research and the dissemination of knowledge. An analysis of the most frequently used terms and word co-occurrences in research documents on Campylobacter reveals several major themes. Enteric infections, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis are the most frequently covered topics, reinforcing this bacterium’s role as a major agent of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide (Corcionivoschi and Gundogdu, 2021) (Moore et al., 2005) (Hlashwayo et al., 2021a) (Igwaran and Okoh, 2019). Campylobacter causes 400 to 500 million cases of diarrhea per year worldwide (Badjo et al., 2024), accounting for 5 to 14% of all diarrhea cases (Hlashwayo et al., 2021c). The strong association of keywords with the pediatric population also shows the importance of this pathogen in children (Kuhn et al., 2018) (Schiaffino et al., 2024) (Amour et al., 2016a). This high incidence can be explained by the immaturity of the immune system and intestinal barrier, which promotes bacterial colonization (Amour et al., 2016b). It can also be explained by high exposure to environmental and animal sources, which increases the risk, particularly in rural areas (Worku et al., 2024), as well as other factors related to dietary practices and hygiene conditions (Randremanana et al., 2014). Furthermore, the term “microbiome” is increasingly used, reflecting a growing interest in the gut microbiome. It is essential to understand the complex interactions between enteric pathogens, commensal microbiota, and the human host, as these can influence susceptibility to infection, the severity of clinical manifestations, and the dynamics of bacterial colonization in the gut. This is why metagenomic approaches and microbiome analyses are so important. They allow us to explore changes in microbial composition associated with Campylobacter-related infections. Resistance, one of the most frequently used keywords in Campylobacter-related research, is a major problem in this field. Campylobacter exhibits high resistance to fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides (Shrestha et al., 2023) (Bolinger and Kathariou, 2017), which complicates the treatment of this bacterium. This development is primarily attributed to the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock farming and human medicine, which promotes the selection and spread of resistant strains throughout the food chain (Bukari et al., 2025). Furthermore, the similarity of resistance profiles observed in chicken, meat, and milk strains, as well as in patients, demonstrates the circulation of Campylobacter throughout the food chain (Mouftah et al., 2021). The predominance of C. jejuni and C. coli in the literature can be explained by several factors. These two species belong to the group of thermophilic Campylobacter, which are well adapted to the intestines of poultry and other farm animals (Epping et al., 2021a). Chickens, in particular, are the main reservoir and major source of human contamination through the consumption of undercooked meat, cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, or the ingestion of contaminated water or milk (Epping et al., 2021b). In addition, C. coli and C. jejuni possess numerous virulence factors that promote intestinal colonization and the development of acute diarrhea (Bravo et al., 2021) (Epping et al., 2021b). Furthermore, these two species, particularly C. coli, have a high capacity for genetic adaptation, which promotes the acquisition of resistance genes (Sheppard and Maiden, 2015) (Zhang et al., 2022).
Certain limitations must be taken into account when interpreting this bibliometric study. First, the exclusive inclusion of articles published in English and in open access may introduce a selection bias. Some relevant articles published in other languages or in non-open-access journals have not been included, which may affect the representation of the results. Second, this analysis is based on publications indexed in a single database, “Scopus.” However, this may result in certain studies published in other databases being underrepresented. Furthermore, bibliometric studies rely on quantitative metrics, which do not necessarily reflect study quality. Despite these limitations, A comprehensive and reliable overview of trends in Campylobacter research in human health can be provided through a rigorous methodological approach and an analysis of structural, conceptual, and methodological dimensions.
5. Conclusion
Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the key scientific trends in Campylobacter research in human health, highlighting recent advances. This analysis, based on data from the Scopus database, identifies trends in scientific output, leading journals, affiliations, authors, and the most influential countries in this field, as well as the dominant research themes. It also reveals the distribution of the most frequently cited Campylobacter species in the literature. Despite scientific advances in recent years, several gaps remain. This underscores the need for further research. Methodological and technological approaches must also be strengthened. The goal is to improve the understanding, surveillance, and control of Campylobacter infections.
Informed Consent
No consent was needed.
Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate
No ethical approval was required for the study.
Consent for publication
Not Applicable.
Generative AI statement
The author(s) declare that no Gen AI was used in the creation of this manuscript.
Data availability statement
Zenodo. Global research trends on Campylobacter spp. in human health: A bibliometric analysis (2017–2025). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21791802 (Aouad et al., 2026).
This project contains the following underlying data:
• Scopus_cleaned_for_VOSviewer.csv. (Cleaned bibliometric metadata for 3,027 documents retrieved from Scopus, including author, source, year, citation, keyword, and reference fields; underlies all figures and statistics reported in the article).
• search_strategy.txt. (Full Scopus search query, applied filters, eligibility criteria, and data processing methodology).
• figure_source_data.xlsx. (Numerical values underlying each figure in the article, organised by figure number).
• Fig 8D_cocitation_references_map.txt/ _network.txt,
• Fig 9A-9B_authors_coauthorship_map.txt/ _network.txt,
• Fig 10A-10B_keywords_cooccurrence_map.txt/ _network.txt. (VOSviewer network and density map files underlying the co-citation, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence network figures).
• cleaning_script.R. (R script used to deduplicate and clean the raw Scopus export).
Data is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) 1.0 Universal license.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude and sincere appreciation to Prof. Rajaa Chahboune, thesis supervisor, for her invaluable guidance, continuous support, and expert mentorship throughout this research, which were essential to achieving this high-quality work.Special thanks are extended to Fedwa Melaylou, Manal Nafai, Yassine El Abdallaoui, and Afaf Lamzouri for their valuable contributions and active collaboration throughout the completion of this study. The authors also wish to acknowledge and thank all their colleagues for their collegial support.Institutional support provided by the Molecular Biology Unit, Research Laboratory of Life and Health Sciences, Department of Fundamental Pre-clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tetouan, Morocco is also gratefully acknowledged.
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© 2026 Aouad O et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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