Engineered bacterial therapeutics from synthetic biology to clinical translation: A multi-database scientometric analysis, 2000–2026

Engineered bacterial therapeutics integrate programmable strain engineering with biomedical functions such as sensing, delivery, immune modulation, microbiome intervention, and disease management. This study conducted a multi-database bibliometric analysis to map the knowledge structure, collaboration patterns, and translational direction of this field. Bibliographic records were retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed for publications from 1 January 2000 to 1 June 2026. After document-type filtering, time restriction, deduplication, language screening, and manual eligibility assessment, 1,730 English-language articles and reviews were included. CiteSpace 6.4.R1, VOSviewer 1.6.20, and the bibliometrix R package were used to analyze publication trends, collaboration networks, journal co-citation, dual-map citation trajectories, citation bursts, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution. Publication output increased steadily, with faster growth after 2020; 2025 was the highest-output complete year, while 2026 represented a partial retrieval year. China and the United States were the leading contributors, although institutional collaboration remained regionally clustered. Co-citation, citation-burst, and keyword analyses showed a shift from bacterial chassis construction and circuit design toward engineered probiotics, gut microbiota-related therapy, cancer immunotherapy, drug delivery, live biotherapeutic products, and clinical translation. Persistent translational priorities include controllability, safety, manufacturing consistency, and regulatory alignment.