Mapping and analysis of the knowledge graph on the current status and key issues in global research on Norovirus infections in children over the past 28 years.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
- 2Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China.
- 3Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
- 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment System for Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Beijing, China.
- 5Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China. [email protected].
- 6Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Norovirus (NoV) is a major pathogen responsible for acute gastroenteritis and outbreaks of diarrhea in humans. Children, due to their underdeveloped immune systems and higher risk of exposure, constitute a population with a relatively concentrated incidence of infection and disease burden. In recent years, research on NoV infections in children has been growing globally; however, there remains a lack of systematic quantitative analysis regarding the evolution of research themes, models of international collaboration, and future development directions in this field. Therefore, this study employs bibliometric methods to conduct a visual analysis of the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and development trends in the global field of NoV infection research in children, providing a reference for future scientific research and the formulation of prevention and control strategies.Methods
This study retrieved literature on pediatric NoV infections published between January 1998 and December 2025 from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix software, we conducted a visual analysis of annual publication trends, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and references to reveal the research trajectory, knowledge base, and cutting-edge directions in this field.Results
This study included a total of 2,161 relevant publications. The results show that research on NoV infections in children worldwide has generally followed a steady upward trend, with activity remaining high in recent years. The United States, China, and Japan are the leading contributors to research in this field, with the United States exerting significant influence through international collaboration. The University of Tokyo, Emory University, and Chiang Mai University are the research institutions with the highest number of publications. Vinje, Jan; Ushijima, Hiroshi; and Khamrin, Pattara were the most prolific core authors, while Atmar, Robert L.; Lindesmith, Lisa C.; and Patel, Manish M. demonstrated strong academic influence. Keyword analysis revealed that research in this field primarily focuses on viral molecular characteristics, epidemiological features, and clinical manifestations in children, and is gradually expanding toward disease burden assessment, global prevention and control strategies, and vaccine development.Conclusion
Global research on NoV infections in children has evolved into a Multi-Disciplinary research framework driven by virology, epidemiology, clinical medicine, and public health. Current research focuses primarily on molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity, as well as epidemiological characteristics and outbreak transmission mechanisms, while the assessment of disease burden and the optimization of global prevention and control strategies are gradually emerging as key future research directions. In the future, international collaboration, multicenter surveillance, and interdisciplinary research should be further strengthened to advance research on pediatric NoV infection from describing disease characteristics toward precision surveillance, proactive prevention, and comprehensive control and prevention measures.
Related
- Cross-sectional study on norovirus genotyping and epidemiology among hospitalised children with acute gastroenteritis in Tianjin, North China, 2020–2023
- Global research landscape and emerging frontiers of ultra-processed food intake and cardiometabolic health: a bibliometric and knowledge-mapping analysis (2015-2025).
- Knowledge, attitudes, and information needs regarding norovirus infection among parents of primary school students directly affected by outbreaks: a cross-sectional study in Hangzhou, China
- Prevalence and genotype distribution of norovirus and rotavirus among children under five with diarrheal infection in lower-middle-income countries after Rotavirus vaccine introduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Respiratory pathogen epidemiology in children under 5 years hospitalized with acute respiratory infections in Qingdao, China: a retrospective, single-center, repeated cross-sectional surveillance study
BibTeX
@article{cui2026mapping,
title = {{Mapping and analysis of the knowledge graph on the current status and key issues in global research on Norovirus infections in children over the past 28 years.}},
author = {Zhengjiu Cui and Pengchen Wu and Yuzhu Dou and Qian Liu and Qigang Dai and Bin Yuan},
journal = {Tropical medicine and health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s41182-026-01098-z},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902369},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Mapping and analysis of the knowledge graph on the current status and key issues in global research on Norovirus infections in children over the past 28 years.
AU - Zhengjiu Cui
AU - Pengchen Wu
AU - Yuzhu Dou
AU - Qian Liu
AU - Qigang Dai
AU - Bin Yuan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Tropical medicine and health
DO - 10.1186/s41182-026-01098-z
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902369
AB - Background Norovirus (NoV) is a major pathogen responsible for acute gastroenteritis and outbreaks of diarrhea in humans. Children, due to their underdeveloped immune systems and higher risk of exposure, constitute a population with a relatively concentrated incidence of infection and disease burden. In recent years, research on NoV infections in children has been growing globally; however, there remains a lack of systematic quantitative analysis regarding the evolution of research themes, models of international collaboration, and future development directions in this field. Therefore, this study employs bibliometric methods to conduct a visual analysis of the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and development trends in the global field of NoV infection research in children, providing a reference for future scientific research and the formulation of prevention and control strategies.Methods This study retrieved literature on pediatric NoV infections published between January 1998 and December 2025 from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix software, we conducted a visual analysis of annual publication trends, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and references to reveal the research trajectory, knowledge base, and cutting-edge directions in this field.Results This study included a total of 2,161 relevant publications. The results show that research on NoV infections in children worldwide has generally followed a steady upward trend, with activity remaining high in recent years. The United States, China, and Japan are the leading contributors to research in this field, with the United States exerting significant influence through international collaboration. The University of Tokyo, Emory University, and Chiang Mai University are the research institutions with the highest number of publications. Vinje, Jan; Ushijima, Hiroshi; and Khamrin, Pattara were the most prolific core authors, while Atmar, Robert L.; Lindesmith, Lisa C.; and Patel, Manish M. demonstrated strong academic influence. Keyword analysis revealed that research in this field primarily focuses on viral molecular characteristics, epidemiological features, and clinical manifestations in children, and is gradually expanding toward disease burden assessment, global prevention and control strategies, and vaccine development.Conclusion Global research on NoV infections in children has evolved into a Multi-Disciplinary research framework driven by virology, epidemiology, clinical medicine, and public health. Current research focuses primarily on molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity, as well as epidemiological characteristics and outbreak transmission mechanisms, while the assessment of disease burden and the optimization of global prevention and control strategies are gradually emerging as key future research directions. In the future, international collaboration, multicenter surveillance, and interdisciplinary research should be further strengthened to advance research on pediatric NoV infection from describing disease characteristics toward precision surveillance, proactive prevention, and comprehensive control and prevention measures.
SN - 1348-8945
SN - 1349-4147
ER -