Background Driven by climate change and urbanization, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has evolved from being a localized pathogen to being a global pandemic threat. This bibliometric analysis maps 20 years (2004–2025) of global CHIKV research to identify priorities and gaps in pandemic preparedness. Methods We analyzed 8,125 publications from the Web of Science using bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer, examining output trends, collaboration networks, thematic evolution (keyword co-occurrence), and alignment with containment needs. Results Annual publications surged 7-fold after 2013, peaking during epidemics (e.g., Caribbean 2013–2014, Réunion 2024). Research was dominated by the USA, Brazil, France, and India, which formed distinct regional hubs. Thematic clusters revealed rising priorities: vaccine development (proportional growth: +7.1% during 2020–2025; candidates such as VLA1553 emerged) and climate-driven transmission (“environmental health” became central after 2022). Persistent gaps included diagnostic overlap with dengue/Zika and reactive outbreak responses (emergency-focused keywords, e.g., “emergency response and crisis management”, declined from 15.5% to 7.2%). International collaborations favored high-income/endemic nations, with limited equity. Conclusion While CHIKV research increasingly addresses vaccines and climate drivers, critical weaknesses remain in terms of equitable collaboration, climate-adaptive surveillance, and integrated interventions. We advocate for predictive modeling, rapid-response vaccine platforms, and embedding CHIKV preparedness within climate-resilient health policies to transform reactive efforts into sustained pandemic resilience.
Xu et al. (2026) studied this question.