Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output A Global Perspective.pdf

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340682751
Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output: A Global Perspective
Article in Xi'an Dianzi Keji Daxue Xuebao/Journal of Xidian University · April 2020
DOI: 10.37896/jxu14.4/130
CITATIONS
0
READS
150
3 authors:
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
Focused on Author Productivity of Arthropathy Research Publication: A Scient metric Analysis View project
Special Focus on Author Productivity of Scleroderma Research Publication: A Global Perspective View project
K. Ayyanar
Alagappa University
33 PUBLICATIONS 49 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
A. Alagu
Alagappa University
SEE PROFILE
M. Mercy Clarance
Alagappa University
SEE PROFILE
All content following this page was uploaded by K. Ayyanar on 17 April 2020.
The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research
output: A Global Perspective
K. Ayyanar1
, Dr. A.Alagu2
, M. Mercy Clarance3
1
Research Scholar DLISc, Alagappa University, Karaikudi- Tamil Nadu
2
Teaching Assistant, DLISc, Alagappa University, Karaikudi- Tamil Nadu
3
Research Scholar DLISc, Alagappa University, Karaikudi- Tamil Nadu
Abstract
This study analyzed about Ebola virus research output during the period of 2015 to 2018.
Totally 3724 data were mainly collected from the web of science database. These data were
downloaded and analyzed by using Histcite software and MS Office Excel 2010 as per the
objective of the study. Research has been done to discover the development and properties of
large data research output is the global level. A total of 3724 records were collected from the
Ebola virus database for the study by searching with the keyword Ebola (66.51%), and other
keywords were Virus (51.90%) as Patients and other publications followed by other forms.
Author wise distribution of publication showed that Feldmann H occupied the first position with
publications 39(1.93%) and Qiu XG is second position 64 (1.71%) followed by Bavari S, Nichol
ST, and others. The last author is Wong G occupied in the last position with publication
42(1.12%). The year-wise distribution of documents in Ebola Virus research. The study
Revealed 2015 records occupied the first position that the output is increased (29%) compared to
2015 to 2018. The research Productivity in Ebola Virus research is increasing.
Keywords: Scientometric, Ebola virus, Research Output, web of Science, authorship pattern,
1. Introduction
Ebola is a kind of Hemorrhagic Fever caused by the Ebola Virus. The term was first time
introduced in Medical Subject Heading as ‘Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers’ in 1978. The Ebola viral
fever case was the first time reported in 1976 as hemorrhagic fever with an unknown cause
(Emond 1977; Gear 1977). The virus was named Ebola after the river in the proximity of
Yambuku in the region of Zaire in Africa. People have been assuming that the transmission of
Ebola is related to the rain forest ecosystem, for example, a rainy period follows an extensive dry
period, drier air impetuous the proliferation of the virus (Bausch 2014).
Therefore, several means are being adopted by the health workers for decontamination of
the Ebola virus, for example, thermal inactivation, etc., In addition, it may be inactivated with
various chemical agents including formalin and quaternary ammonium ions (Chepurnov 2003).
Journal of Xidian University
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 4, 2020
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1101

Ebola Virus is a group of five viruses and these are the Bundibugyo Ebola virus (BDBV);
Zaire Ebola virus (EBOV); Reston Ebola virus (RESTV); Sudan Ebola virus (SUDV); and Tai
Forest Ebola virus (TAFV). Out of these five, four viruses are known to be responsible for Ebola
Hemorrhagic Fever. Ebola is transmitted through close blood, secretions or organ of infected
organisms (humans or animals) and then spread through human-to-human contact. Ebola is
characterized by high fever, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat. The patient suffering from
Ebola shows symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, kidney and liver infections. The outbreak of Ebola
as an epidemic has occurred once again in August 2014 in West African countries such as
Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Senegal has raised the issue of serious look over this
disease by World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) and health department of individual countries (WHO 2014).
The outbreak is occurring on a periodic basis. Therefore, technical inhibits to deliver the
vaccination ought to overcome at the earliest. However, keeping in view the hurdles to
developing the vaccine, it seems that scientists have to work hard to develop the vaccination for
the deadly disease occurring due to the Ebola virus (Groseth 2007).
2. Review of Literature
Vatankhah, Farahnaz (2012) have done a scientometric study, SCOPUS reference
database was utilized to assess the logical research efficiency of Zahedan University of Medical
Sciences over the time of 1976 - 2011. 97% of documents were published in English and in 6
different forms: research articles (91.2%), review articles and letters to the editor (each one
3.6%), conference papers (1.2%), editorials and notes (each one 0.2%).
Chitra & Jeyshankar (2012) studied the growth of neuroscience literature globally during
the periods 1972-2011. The study revealed that 71% of the research outputs were collaborative in
nature. The USA obtains 1st rank in world research output, only 0.59% of the articles were
contributed by authors in India ranking18th among the top 20 countries.
Jeyshankar, Ramesh Babu and Rajendran, (2011) analyzed bibliographical details of
1282 research articles published by the scientists of CECRI during the period 2000-2009. From
the study, it is found that 194 articles (15.13%) published in the year 2009 was the most
productive year. The collaborative analysis was dominant with the best degree of
collaboration being zero.98, in the year 2005. Further, the study investigated authorship
patterns, co-authorship patterns, extremely prolific authors and extremely most
popular journals by the scientists of CECRI. There is a number of researches in the field of
medicine that was undertaken in the emerging era. The review of the literature indicates that the
study on the growth of neuroscience has not been successfully attempted. Hence the discipline of
neuroscience is taken up for the study.
Omwoyo et.al., (2004) conducted HIV/AIDS research output in Uganda and Kenya. The
study covered 1045 documents, out of which 369 (35.3 %) were on HIV/AIDS in Kenya and 676
(64.7%) were on Uganda. Seven (0.7 %) documents were shared by the two countries. The study
revealed most publications were coauthored and focused on women, and a large proportion of
HIV/AIDS documents were published outside Africa.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1102

Alagu and Thanuskodi (2019) their study aimed at evaluating the publication of digital
literacy research during the period 1992–2011. This study, based on the web of science database,
is used to retrieve records related to digital literacy research. The retrieval data is analyzed by the
bibliography using the HisCite software application. The performance of the most productive
countries is analyzed by authors, journals, language wise, company wise, key wise and citation.
Relative growth rate and doubling time were estimated. The countries with the highest
productivity and the highest number of articles are published in the form of a total of 512
records.
3. The objective of the study:
 To study the author's wise distribution of Ebola Virus research output during the year
2015-2018.
 To identify the country-wise distribution of Ebola Virus output.
 To find out the relative growth rate and doubling time of year-wise distribution
 To find out Institution and Journal-wise publication of articles
 To find out the authorship pattern
 To identify the degree of collaboration
4. Methodology
This study has assumed with the purpose of finding out the Ebola Virus research in
scientometrics. It is also focused on the past area of Ebola Virus research publications in
scientometrics based on the sample data. In this study, data were downloaded from the Web of
Science database. The study period was from 2015 to 2018. A total of 3724 records were
downloaded and analyzed by using HistCite Software. Based on the string, 3724 records were
downloaded and analyzed by MS office Excel 2010 format using this study.
5. Data Analysis and interpretation:
Research output on Ebola Virus Research:
Table 1: Year-wise distribution of Documents
SI. No Publication Year Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 2015 1080 29.00 6935 17733
2 2016 965 25.91 3965 16026
3 2017 912 24.48 1270 6646
4 2018 767 20.59 255 2461
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1103

Fig.1. Year-wise distribution of Documents
Table 1 shows that the year-wise distribution of documents in Ebola Virus research. It
shows that the distribution of research output is gradually increased and decreased development.
2015 with 1080 records occupied the first position and the output is increased (29%) compared
to 2015 to 2018. This research Productivity in Ebola Virus research is increasing.
Table 2: Relative Growth Rate and Doubling Time of Year-Wise Distribution
SI.No
Publication
Year
Records Cumulative W1 W2 RGR DT
1 2015 1080 1080 0 6.9847 6.9847 0.09921
2 2016 965 2045 6.9847 6.8721 -0.1125 -6.15517
3 2017 912 2957 6.8721 6.815 -0.0564 -12.2680
4 2018 767 3724 6.8156 6.6424 -0.1731 -4.00223
Fig.2. Relative Growth Rate and Doubling Time of Year-Wise Distribution
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1104

Table 2 shows that the relative growth rate and doubling time of articles were discussed
in the table. The table provides the value of the average RGR of publications, which decreased
from 6.9847163 in 2015 to 0.1731532 in 2018. At the same time, the value of doubling time (Dt)
of publications increased from 0.09921663 (2015) to 0.4925643 (2018).
Table 3: Degree of collaboration
SI. No Publication Year NS NM NM+NS DC
1 2015 99 978 1077 1.10122
2 2016 88 889 977 1.09898
3 2017 91 816 907 1.11151
4 2018 62 701 763 1.08844
Table 3 shows the collaborative authorship of the articles published during the period of
study. It presents the degree of collaboration is the Ebola Virus research in this study. To
determine the degree of collaboration in quantitative terms, the following formula given by K.
Subramanyam (1983) was used for measuring collaboration. It has shown that the degree of
collaboration range from zero to 1.08844.
The formula is,
C= Degree of Collaboration in a discipline or Extent of Collaboration in a discipline
NM= Number of Multiple authored papers
NS= Number of Single-authored papers
Here C = 3384/3384+340 = 0.9087
Table 4: Author wise distribution of Publications (Top 10)
SI. No Author Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 Feldmann H 72 1.93 645 1191
2 Qiu XG 64 1.71 343 935
3 Bavari S 55 1.47 246 819
4 Nichol ST 54 1.45 797 1510
5 Dye JM 50 1.34 279 800
6 Geisbert TW 50 1.34 426 841
7 Kobinger GP 47 1.26 266 852
8 Marzi A 46 1.23 313 721
9 Becker S 45 1.20 779 1301
10 Wong G 42 1.12 175 572
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1105

Table 4 shows that the top 10 authors' wise distribution publications. It could be noted
that the Feldmann H occupied in first position 72(1.93%) followed by Qiu XG is second position
64(1.71%) followed by Bavari S, Nichol ST, and others. The last author is Wong G occupied in
the last position, 42(1.12%).
Table 5: Authorship pattern
SI.
No
Author Contribution Cumulative
Contribution
Percentage
Cumulative
Percentage
1 1 340 340 9.12996 9.12996
2 2 442 782 11.8689 20.9989
3 3 388 1170 10.4189 31.4178
4 4 361 1531 9.69387 41.1117
5 5 295 1826 7.11600 49.0332
6 6 258 2084 6.92803 55.9613
7 7 235 2319 6.31041 62.2717
8 8 206 2525 5.53166 67.8034
9 9 168 2693 4.51127 72.3147
10 10 166 2859 4.45757 76.7722
11
More than
10
865 3724 23.2277 100.00
A significant note of the study is that the majority of the articles are contributed by
multiple authors. In this single aspect, the author has contributed 340 (9.12) papers in this study.
More than Authors and second Authors contributed papers occupying first and second positions
in the order; it is calculated as 865 (23.22) and 442 (11.86) respectively. Three authors
contribution occupies the third rank with 388 (10.41), and fourth authors occupy the fourth rank
at 361(9.69). Fist authors and fifth authors placed fifth and sixth ranks with 340 (9.12), 295
(7.11) respectively. Sixth authors and seven authors contribution that got seventh and eighth rank
with 258 (6.92), 235 (6.31). Remaining nine authors 168(4.52), ten authors 166 (4.45)
contribution placed ninth, the tenth rank respectively.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1106

Table 6: Country-wise distribution of Ebola Virus research output (Top 10)
SI. No Country Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 USA 1979 53.14 8804 29107
2 UK 563 15.11 3006 13153
3 Peoples R China 307 8.24 951 6866
4 Germany 304 8.16 1708 9155
5 Canada 298 8.00 1635 8203
6 France 289 7.76 1559 8244
7 Sierra Leone 222 5.96 1493 3411
8 Switzerland 210 5.63 2113 8950
9 Guinea 139 3.73 971 3186
10 Belgium 138 3.70 1061 5360
The country-wise distribution of the Ebola Virus research output is given in table 6. USA
occupied the topmost position with 1979(53.14%) records and the UK in the second position
with 563(15.11%). China is in the third position with 307(8.24%), and other country publications
are as follows.
Table 7: Document wise distribution of Articles
SI. No Document Type Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 Article 2481 66.62 10151 34406
2 Review 404 10.84 1193 5567
3 Editorial Material 311 8.35 459 1390
4 Meeting Abstract 195 5.23 6 20
5 Letter 172 4.61 428 774
6 Article; Proceedings Paper 44 1.18 77 337
7 Correction 44 1.18 22 33
8 Review; Book Chapter 35 0.93 77 268
9 News Item 19 0.51 3 19
10 Article; Book Chapter 13 0.34 2 44
Table 7 shows the document wise distribution of publications. It is observed that (2481)
66.62% of the publication was in the of Articles. 10.84% review (404) and 3.10% Editorial
Material.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1107

Table 8: Top Ranked Institution (Top 10)
SI. No Institution Recs Rank
1 NIAID 236 1
2 Ctr Dis Control & Prevent 184 2
3 WHO 129 3
4 Publ Hlth Agcy Canada 118 4
5 Univ Texas Med Branch 111 5
6 US Army 106 6
7 Emory Univ 103 7
8 Minist Hlth 95 8
9 Univ Manitoba 95 8
10 Publ Hlth England 91 9
This table presents institution-wide research productivity. It is noted that NIAID ranks
first position in order by contributing 236 publications. Ctr Dis Control & Prevent records of the
second ranks with 184 publications. WHO records the third rank with 129 publications. The
publications of other Institutions are as follows.
Table 9: Journal wise distribution of Publications (Top 10)
S. No Journal Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 Journal of Infectious Diseases 218 5.85 1082 1898
2 Plos One 102 2.73 0 695
3 Journal of Virology 93 2.49 491 1292
4 Emerging Infectious Diseases 92 2.47 686 1160
5 Scientific Reports 89 2.38 0 936
6 Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases 77 2.06 0 812
7 Lancet Infectious Diseases 76 2.04 915 1594
8 Clinical Infectious Diseases 75 2.01 640 1020
9 American Journal of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene
73
1.96
45 115
10 Antiviral Research 57 1.53 184 664
Table 9 shows the Journal wise distribution of publications in Ebola Virus research. The
Journal of infectious diseases records the first position with 218(5.85%). The second position is
occupied by is the Plos One records with 102(2.73%). The records of other journals are as
follows.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1108

Table 10: Language wise distribution of documents
S. No Language Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 English 3655 98.14 12418 42808
2 French 25 0.67 2 19
3 Spanish 23 0.61 1 21
4 German 11 0.29 3 8
5 Polish 3 0.08 0 3
6 Hungarian 2 0.05 0 1
7 Italian 2 0.05 1 6
8 Chinese 1 0.02 0 0
9 Portuguese 1 0.02 0 0
10 Turkish 1 0.02 0 0
Table 10 shows that the language wise distributions of documents in Ebola Virus
research in this present study. The most productivity language is English with 3655(98.14%),
and the least productivity language is Turkish with 1(0.02%).
Table 11: Key Word-wise distribution of Publications (Top 10)
S. No Key Word Records Percent TLCS TGCS
1 Ebola 2477 66.51 10749 27025
2 Virus 1933 51.90 8773 21554
3 Disease 847 22.74 3772 12302
4 Outbreak 276 7.41 893 2522
5 Infection 271 7.27 1117 3297
6 Health 236 6.33 376 1625
7 Sierra 210 5.63 1097 2222
8 Leone 209 5.61 1093 2213
9 Viral 203 5.45 441 2375
10 West 199 5.34 640 2261
Table 11 discussed keyword wise distribution of publications. The high-frequency
keyword searching aspects of Ebola Virus research in the present study is Ebola 2477 (66.51%),
and other keywords were Virus 1933 (51.90%) as Patients and other publications followed by
other forms.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1109

6. Conclusion
The global level research over four years 2015 – 2018 was selected to find out the
scientometric study on the Ebola virus. For conducting, this above study, the data were collected
from web science. The tools applied for this research were scientometric tools and techniques.
After the collection of data and applying the scientometric tools and techniques, the results were
displayed in the form of tables for better understanding. A total of 3724 records were collected
from the Ebola virus database for the study by searching with the keyword Ebola (66.51%), and
other keywords were Virus (51.90%) as Patients and other publications showed that the
Feldmann H occupied in first position 39(1.93%) and Qiu XG was in second position 64(1.71%)
followed by Bavari S, Nichol ST, and others. The last author is Wong G occupied in the last
position, 42(1.12%). The year-wise distribution of documents in Ebola Virus research in 2015
records occupied the first position that the output is increased (29%) compared to 2015 to 2018.
This research Productivity in Ebola Virus research is increasing.
Acknowledgment:
This article has been written with the financial support of RUSA – Phase 2.0 grant
sanctioned vide Letter No. F.24-51 / 2014-U, Policy (TNMulti-Gen), Dept. of Edn.
Govt. of India, Dt.09.10.2018
Reference:
Alagu, A., & Thanuskodi, S. (2019). Bibliometric Analysis of Digital Literacy Research Output:
A Global Perspective. Library Philosophy & Practice.
Bausch DG, Schwarz L. Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea: Where ecology meets
economy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014;8:e3056.
Chepurnov, A. A., Bakulina, L. F., Dadaeva, A. A., Ustinova, E. N., Chepurnova, T. S., & Baker
Jr, J. R. (2003). Inactivation of Ebola virus with a surfactant nanoemulsion. Acta
tropica, 87(3), 315-320.
Chitra, V., & Jeyshankar, R. (2012). Growth of Literature in Neuroscience: A scientometric
study (1972-2011). Journal of Advances in Library and Information Science, 1(4), 201-
210.
Emond, R. T., Evans, B., Bowen, E. T., & Lloyd, G. (1977). A case of Ebola virus infection. Br
Med J, 2(6086), 541-544.
Gear, J.H. Haemorrhagic fevers of Africa: An account of two recent outbreaks. Journal of the
South African Veterinary Association 1977, 48 (1), 5–8.
Groseth, A., Feldmann, H., & Strong, J. E. (2007). The ecology of Ebola virus. Trends in
microbiology, 15(9), 408-416.
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1110

Jeyshankar, R., Babu, B. R., & Rajendran, P. (2011). Research output of CSIR-central electro
chemical research institute (CECRI): A study.
Omwoyo et. al. (2004). A comparative study of the literature on HIV/AIDS in Kenya and
Uganda: A bibliometric study. Library & Information Science Research, 26(4), 434-447.
Subramanyam, K. (1983). Bibliometric studies of Research Collaboration. A review, Journal of
Information Science, 6: 33-38.
Vatankhah, F. (2012). Scientific productivity of Zahedan University of medical
sciences. Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 14(8), 52-57.
WHO Response to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Outbreak - 12 September 2014.
http://www.afro.who.int/index.php. Retrieved 17 September 2014
ISSN No:1001-2400
http://xadzkjdx.cn/
https://doi.org/10.37896/jxu14.4/130
1111
View publication stats

Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output A Global Perspective.pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output A Global Perspective.pdf

Similar to Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output A Global Perspective.pdf (20)

More from Ayyanar k

More from Ayyanar k (8)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Scientometric Analysis of Ebola Virus Research output A Global Perspective.pdf