Analysis of research intensity on infectious disease by disease burden reveals which infectious diseases are neglected by researchers

Significance Threats from emerging and reemerging infectious diseases have increased globally. However, neglected tropical diseases, such as Chagas disease and schistosomiasis, are believed to attract low attention. We investigated which infectious diseases have been neglected by researchers and which have received attention through an analysis of disease burden and research activity. We found, for example, that influenza and HIV/AIDS have attracted high research attention in relation to their disease burden, while paratyphoid fever has attracted low attention considering the disease burden. Interestingly, not all so-called neglected tropical diseases were subject to low research intensity. Further discussion must occur with regard to the appropriate allocation of resources for research into infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although human, financial, substantial, and time resources are limited, it is unknown whether such resources are used effectively in research to manage diseases. The correlation between the disability-adjusted life years to represent disease burden and number of publications as a surrogate for research activity was investigated to measure burden-adjusted research intensity for 52 infectious diseases at global and country levels. There was significantly low research intensity for paratyphoid fever and high intensity for influenza, HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis considering their disease burden. We identified the infectious diseases that have received the most attention from researchers and those that have been relatively disregarded. Interestingly, not all so-called neglected tropical diseases were subject to low burden-adjusted research intensity. Analysis of the intensity of infectious disease research at a country level revealed characteristic patterns. These findings provided a basis for further discussion of the more appropriate allocation of resources for research into infectious diseases.

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