Trends of Helicobacter pylori Research Across East African Countries: A Bibliometric and Scoping Analysis

Background Africa has the highest reported prevalence of Helicobacter pylori , which is associated with peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Yet, the research landscape across East African countries remains poorly understood. Aim To examine Helicobacter pylori research output, publication trends, institutional contributions, and collaboration networks across East Africa. Methods Articles from 20 East African countries were retrieved from PubMed. The analysis examined publication output, citation counts, annual trends, authorship patterns, institutional affiliations, and co-authorship networks. Microsoft Excel was used to analyze trends and research output, VOSviewer to visualize networks, and Google Scholar to obtain citation counts. Results A total of 360 articles were analyzed. Ethiopia accounted for 30.28% of publications, followed by Sudan (16.11%), Kenya (13.33%), Uganda (8.61%), Tanzania (5.83%), and Zambia (5.28%). No publications were identified for Seychelles, Burundi, or Comoros. Output rose substantially after 2016, with 2021–2025 contributing 46.1% of publications. The author with the highest publication count was based in Zambia. Leading authors included Violet Kayamba and Paul Kelly (University of Zambia), Ishag Adams (Qassim University), and Hyasinta Jaka (Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences). Among 833 institutions, Makerere University and Addis Ababa University were the leading contributors. Foreign institutions accounted for 50.1% of affiliations, reflecting extensive international collaboration. Ethiopia had the highest overall citation count. However, the most cited papers came from Djibouti (200 citations), DR Congo (195), and Uganda (138). Djibouti’s leading paper was a regional systematic review rather than a primary study conducted there. BMC Gastroenterology , PLOS ONE , and Helicobacter featured prominently among journals publishing the highest-cited papers. Conclusion Helicobacter pylori research remains uneven across East Africa. Growing publication output suggests increasing research capacity, but substantial foreign involvement highlights reliance on external partnerships. Sustained local investment, targeted funding, capacity building, and stronger collaborative networks are needed to support equitable research across the region.