NEGLECTED BUT LETHAL: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RESEARCH OF Strongyloides stercoralis

Abstrak

Strongyloides stercoralis, a soil-transmitted helminth causing strongyloidiasis, presents a severe health risk due to its unique auto-infective cycle and potential for lethal hyperinfection in immunocompromised patients. It remains a neglected tropical disease, with its true burden in endemic countries like Indonesia significantly underestimated due to diagnostic limitations and a scarcity of targeted research. This study aims to map the global research landscape on S. stercoralis to identify trends, collaborations, and critical knowledge gaps, particularly concerning Indonesia's underrepresented status. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer on Scopus-indexed literature from 2015-2025. Data were extracted using specific keywords and analyzed for productivity, thematic clusters, and temporal trends. The analysis reveals a stark geographic disparity, with leading research contributions from the United States, Brazil, and European nations, while Indonesia's output is disproportionately low. Thematic mapping shows core concepts are underdeveloped, and network visualization identifies key clusters around diagnostics, hyperinfection, and treatment. Overlay analysis indicates a recent strategic pivot towards hyperinfection and molecular studies, yet public health themes remain peripheral. This study empirically validates the neglected status of strongyloidiasis research and the urgent need for intensified, localized research in high-endemicity regions like Indonesia.