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Mapping Twenty Years of Antimicrobial Resistance Research Trends

26 Pages Posted: 2 Mar 2021

See all articles by Christian F. Luz

Christian F. Luz

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

Johann Magnus van Niekerk

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention; University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research

Julia Keizer

University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research

Nienke Beerlage-de Jong

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

Annemarie Braakman-Jansen

University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research

Alfred Stein

University of Twente - Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC)

Bhanu Sinha

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

Corinna Glasner

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

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Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to health and healthcare. In response to the growing AMR burden, research funding also increased. However, a comprehensive overview of the research output, including conceptual, temporal, and geographical trends, is missing. Therefore, this study uses topic modelling, a machine learning approach, to reveal the scientific evolution of AMR research and its trends, and provides an interactive user interface for further analyses. 

Methods: Structural topic modelling (STM) was applied on a text corpus resulting from a PubMed query comprising AMR articles (1999-2018). A topic network was established and topic trends were analysed by frequency, proportion, and importance over time and space.

Findings: In total, 88 topics were identified in 158616 articles from 166 countries. AMR publications increased by 450% between 1999 and 2018, emphasizing the vibrancy of the field. Prominent topics in 2018 were Strategies for emerging resistances and diseases, Nanoparticles, and Stewardship. Emerging topics included Water and environment, and Sequencing. Geographical trends showed prominence of Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the WHO African Region, corresponding with the MDR-TB burden. China and India were growing contributors in recent years, following the United States of America as overall lead contributor.

Interpretation: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the AMR research output thereby revealing the AMR research response to the increased AMR burden. Both the results and the publicly available interactive database serve as a base to inform and optimise future research.

Funding: INTERREG-VA EurHealth-1Health (202085); European Commission Horizon 2020 Framework

Declaration of Interests: We declare no conflict of interests.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; global health; research activity; geographic mapping; machine learning

Suggested Citation

Luz, Christian F. and van Niekerk, Johann Magnus and Keizer, Julia and Beerlage-de Jong, Nienke and Braakman-Jansen, Annemarie and Stein, Alfred and Sinha, Bhanu and van Gemert-Pijnen, Lisette and Glasner, Corinna, Mapping Twenty Years of Antimicrobial Resistance Research Trends. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3792901 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3792901

Christian F. Luz (Contact Author)

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands

Johann Magnus Van Niekerk

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands

University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research ( email )

Postbus 217
Twente
Netherlands

Julia Keizer

University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research ( email )

Postbus 217
Twente
Netherlands

Nienke Beerlage-de Jong

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands

Annemarie Braakman-Jansen

University of Twente - Centre for eHealth and Wellbeing Research ( email )

Postbus 217
Twente
Netherlands

Alfred Stein

University of Twente - Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) ( email )

Netherlands

Bhanu Sinha

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention

Groningen
Netherlands

Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands

Corinna Glasner

University of Groningen - Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands