**3. Trends in technology development related to rabies control based on patent applications**

Subsequently, we performed quantitative and qualitative analyzes of patent applications related to rabies control, e.g., technologies related to vaccines, screening, and the diagnosis of rabies.

#### **3.1. Method of analysis**

The survey of patent applications comprised the following four steps.


Table 2. Top 10 cited articles related to rabies during 2001–2011 **Table 2.** Top 10 cited articles related to rabies during 2001–2011

basic sciences, such as virology and immunology. It is considered that virological and immunological research on rabies contributes to the development of vaccines and diagnostic

**652**

Table 2 shows top 10 most cited articles related to rabies. Of these articles, two reported and discussed methods for rabies control [18,19]. It was interesting that the two articles were based on new research areas, i.e., agent-based modeling and economic analysis. These studies were

Three articles reported rabies virus as the delivery of a substance to the brain, i.e., a neuronal tracer, and a vector [20–22]. This shows that research on rabies may contribute to neuroscience

**3. Trends in technology development related to rabies control based on**

Subsequently, we performed quantitative and qualitative analyzes of patent applications related to rabies control, e.g., technologies related to vaccines, screening, and the diagnosis of

**427**

**Figure 4.** Number of articles related to rabies by research field during 2001–2011

not categorized in the major research areas described in Section 2.5.

The survey of patent applications comprised the following four steps.

**410**

**237**

**305**

The values are the number of articles.

**2.6. Top 10 cited articles**

**patent applications**

**3.1. Method of analysis**

research.

rabies.

Veterinary sciences

Virology

medicine

Immunology

Infectious diseases

research experimental

methods.

168 Trends in Infectious Diseases

#### **3. Trends in technology development related to rabies control** *3.1.1. Step 1-Collection of data sources for patent applications*

**based on patent applications** Subsequently, we performed quantitative and qualitative analyzes of patent applications The Derwent Patent Index® (DWPI) and the Derwent Patent Citation Index® (DPCI) [23,24] were used to survey patent applications related to rabies control using the search strategy described below.

related to rabies control, e.g., technologies related to vaccines, screening, and the diagnosis of rabies. **3.1. Method of analysis** The survey of patent applications comprised the following four steps. **3.1.1. Step 1- Collection of data sources for patent applications** DWPI is one of the largest and most user-friendly patent databases in the world, which contains over 21.85 million patent families that cover over 45.2 million patent documents. It includes coverage of over 47 worldwide patent authorities with enhanced patent titles and abstracts prepared by subject experts to facilitate the survey of patent documents. Additionally the DWPI assembles all of the patent documents relating to an invention into a single database record as a "patent family". A single "patent family" is a set of either patent applications or publications taken in multiple countries to protect a single invention by a common inventor(s) [25]. DPCI provides patent citation information from 10 organizations, including the EPO and the WIPO.

The Derwent Patent Index® (DWPI) and the Derwent Patent Citation Index® (DPCI) [23,24] were used to survey patent applications related to rabies control using the search strategy described below. To survey the number of applicants by nationality, we used the FAMPAT® [26], which is a comprehensive worldwide patent family database. We used the FAMPAT® because the DWPI does not include the nationalities of applicants.

DWPI is one of the largest and most user-friendly patent databases in the world, which contains over 21.85 million patent families that cover over 45.2 million patent documents. It
