Bibliometric Analysis and Key Messages of Monkeypox Research (2003–2022)

Objective: At the global level, a multi-country outbreak of monkeypox has attracted global attention. The purpose of this study is to explore the growing contribution of global research on monkeypox. Methods: Publications related to monkeypox were retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science. Bibliometric analyses were conducted by VOSviewer and CiteSpace software to generate network maps, evaluate hot topics in the field, and identify cooperation patterns between different authors and countries. Results: A total of 1822 publications were retrieved to reflect the global overall monkeypox research output, including clinical trials, systematic reviews, case reports, and laboratory studies. The most productive country and institution were respectively the United States and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—USA (CDC). The top three authors with the highest number of publications were all from the CDC. Research hotspots included some monkeypox-related diseases, such as smallpox and vaccinia, and the prevention and treatment of monkeypox diseases, such as antiviral drugs and smallpox vaccines. Research fronts included real-time PCR, immune evasion, animal models, and monkeypox outbreak countries (Democratic Republic of Congo and others). Conclusions: Research on monkeypox is mainly carried out from the aspects of its source, transmission route, virus prevalence, and prevention and control measures. Controlling monkeypox is a global responsibility, and the future research into monkeypox control methods is suggested to focus on more than vaccines.