# Streptomyces as Biofactories: A Bibliometric Analysis of Antibiotic Production Against Staphylococcus aureus

## TL;DR

This paper analyzes global research trends on using Streptomyces to produce antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus, highlighting collaboration and emerging areas like biosynthesis and resistance mechanisms.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Streptomyces-based antibiotic research against S. aureus from 2015–2024, identifying key trends and emerging research directions.

## Key findings

- China and India led in publication volume, while the United States had the highest citation impact.
- Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Biotechnology were the most active research fields.
- Key emerging topics include biosynthesis, antimicrobial activity, and genomic analyses of Streptomyces.

## Abstract

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus pose significant public health challenges, particularly due to antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA. In this context, Streptomyces, a genus known for producing natural antibiotics, emerges as a promising source for novel therapeutic agents. In this study, a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature (2015–2024) on Streptomyces as antibiotic biofactories against S. aureus was performed, aiming to identify publication trends, collaborative networks, and emerging research areas. Using the Web of Science database, searches were performed with descriptors (“Streptomyces” AND “Staphylococcus aureus”), including original articles and reviews in English. Data were analyzed with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to visualize collaborative networks, keyword co-occurrences, and trends. A total of 755 articles from 3705 authors were analyzed, highlighting significant collaboration (98.7%). Publications showed marked growth, particularly in Microbiology (21.7%), Pharmacology and Pharmacy (16.8%), and Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology (16.1%). China and India led in publication volume, whereas the United States exhibited the highest citation impact. Key emerging research topics include biosynthesis and metabolic optimization, antimicrobial activity and bioprospecting, mechanisms of antibiotic action and bacterial resistance, and genomic analyses. Research on Streptomyces for antibiotic production against S. aureus demonstrates continuous expansion and global interest, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches. Future studies should intensify exploration of biodiverse environments, genetic engineering applications, and combinatorial strategies to effectively address antimicrobial resistance.