What Happened Over the Last 10 Years (2012 to 2021): A Bibliometric Analysis of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) Research in Southeast Asia

This paper described the research landscape in Southeast Asia over the last 10 years (2012 to 2021) in terms of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND), a shrimp disease prevalent in the region. Three hundred and ninety-six (396) records from Scopus database were screened for duplication and eligibility, to come up with a total of 155 papers used in the bibliometric analysis. Among all countries, Thailand produced the most publications, total citations, and the highest h-index. No papers from Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Timor Leste on AHPND were obtained. Southeast Asian countries had strong linkages within the region and beyond. Overlay visualization of keywords used in publications over the last 10 years showed that there was a shift in focus from the diagnosis and characterization of the disease to treatments. Interestingly, there were no significant correlations between a country’s research investments and productivity, possibly because of issues on allocation. However, there was a positive correlation between the region’s research outputs and crustacean production. Limitations of the study include the use of a single database and the exclusion of non-peer reviewed papers. Nonetheless, these results may serve as basis on policymaking on AHPND research investments, prioritization, and allocation in Southeast Asia.