Mapping publications on climate change and animal health: a visual and bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Climate change has become a major concern for researchers and nations focusing on its impacts, particularly in relation to animal health. Animal health is crucial to human well-being due to animals’ domestic, commercial, and non-economic roles. The close link between animal and human health underscores the importance of this issue. This study aims to map the volume of publications, contributing countries, institutions, authors, and emerging research themes through a trend analysis of relevant scientific literature. A bibliometric and visual analysis approach was employed to provide a more detailed and specific understanding. Using the Scopus database, R package Bibliometrix, and VoSViewer, a total of 1,326 documents published between 2020 and 2024 were analyzed. The data reveal a 14.75% increase in publications over the period. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Kanada, Jerman, and China contributed approximately 75% of the total publications, predominantly in the field of medicine. Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the University of California, and Wageningen University and Research, along with seven other institutions, emerged as the most prolific contributors. PLOS ONE, Science of the Total Environment, and PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases were the top three journals publishing the highest number of related documents. Over the past five years, the dominant research themes have been climate change, sustainability, One Health, and food security. Strategic future research is essential to monitor and safeguard animal health, particularly studies focusing on animal health control systems in major livestock and veterinary centers at both national and regional levels.