This study employs knowledge mapping and bibliometric techniques to analyze the research landscape of trained immunity over the past 20 years and to identify current research hotspots and future development directions. The literature related to trained immunity was searched from the Web of Science Core Collection database, spanning 2004 to 2023. VOSViewer, CiteSpace and Bibliometrix were used for the knowledge mapping analysis. The foremost research institutions are Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Bonn, and Harvard University. Professor Netea MG of Radboud University Nijmegen has published the greatest number of articles. The current research focus encompasses immune memory, nonspecific effects, epigenetics, metabolic reprogramming, BCG vaccine, and the development of trained immunity-based vaccines. It is likely that research on trained immunity-based vaccines will become a major focus in the development of new vaccines in the future. It would be advantageous to observe a greater number of prospective clinical studies with robust evidence.
Keywords: Bibliometrix; CiteSpace; Trained immunity; Vosviewer; innate immune memories; visual analysis.