Global trends in the application of droplet digital PCR technology in the field of infectious disease pathogen diagnosis: A bibliometric analysis from 2012 to 2023

Xiaojie Yang; Fengting Yu; Chang Yan; Mengying Li; Xuelei Liang; Xiaojie Lao; Rui Sun; Wenhao Lv; Hanxi Zhang; Fujie Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116623

Global trends in the application of droplet digital PCR technology in the field of infectious disease pathogen diagnosis: A bibliometric analysis from 2012 to 2023

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Nov 26;111(3):116623. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116623. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xiaojie Yang¹, Fengting Yu², Chang Yan¹, Mengying Li³, Xuelei Liang¹, Xiaojie Lao¹, Rui Sun¹, Wenhao Lv¹, Hanxi Zhang¹, Fujie Zhang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
² Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Clinical Center for HIV/AIDS, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
³ Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴ Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Clinical Center for HIV/AIDS, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: treatment@chinaaids.cn.

PMID: 39622088
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116623

Abstract

Background: This study discusses the development trends and current applications of digital droplet PCR technology in pathogen diagnostics.

Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted by retrieving droplet digital pcr related articles published between January 1,2012 to December31, 2023, from the Web of Science Core Collection.

Results: A total of 3,513 authors from 66 countries published 508 research papers across 203 academic institutions. The keyword clustering network shows that the main advantages of ddPCR are absolute quantification, high sensitivity, and high tolerance to PCR inhibitors. The keyword timeline shows that current research hotspots include continuous pathogen nucleic acid monitoring, trace sample detection, and resistance mutation identification.

Conclusion: The application of ddPCR in pathogen diagnosis is expanding, offering key advantages in absolute quantification, high sensitivity, and inhibitor tolerance, meeting emerging needs in nucleic acid monitoring and resistance detection.

Keywords: Bibliometric analysis; Droplet Digital PCR; Pathogen; Vosviewer.