Recent progress in camel research.

Background: Camelids play an important role in the preservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, food security, economic growth, adaptation to climate change, and cultural and social aspects. Therefore, the United Nations has named 2024 the International Year of Camelids (IYC).

Aim: This study aimed to assess the recent progress in camel research and its citation effect as shown in the Scopus database in the IYC.

Methods: On March 17, 2024, a literature search was done to discover papers indexed in Scopus^® using the search terms "camel", "camelids", and "Camelus dromedarius". Automatic and manual screening processes were used.

Results: Between 1850 and 2024, a total of 15,844 camelid-related papers were published. Approximately 30% of these documents were released within the previous 5 years (2019-2023). Camel research was included into 28 scientific topics. The top five topics were agricultural and biological sciences, medicine, veterinary science, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, immunology, and microbiology. The top five authors in camel research were Faye B, Wernery U, Muyldermans S, Kinne J, and Sahani MS. The top five camel research contributors among 159 academic institutions were from King Saud University, King Faisal University, ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, Bikane, Cairo University, and United Arab Emirates University. Out of 152 nations active in camel research, the top five were the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Undefined, and India. The top five languages were English, French, Chinese, Russian, and German. The camel research was financed by 158 sponsors, with the top five being undefined, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. Camel papers have been published under 161 source titles. The top five sources were: Journal of Camel Practice and Research, Tropical Animal Health and Production, Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, Veterinary Parasitology, and Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture.

Conclusion: Although camelids are understudied in scientific studies, there has been a promising increase in camel research over the past 5 years. Furthermore, the IYC may give a unique opportunity to assist scientific research, particularly in low-income countries with large camelid populations.