Background: HIV/AIDS has attracted considerable research attention since the 1980s. In the current context of
globalization and the predominance of cooperative work, it is crucial to analyze the participation of the countries
and regions where the infection is most prevalent. This study assesses the participation of African countries in
publications on the topic, as well as the degree of equity or influence existing in North-South relations.
Methods: We identified all articles and reviews of HIV/AIDS indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. We
analyzed the scientific production, collaboration, and contributions from African and Middle Eastern countries to
scientific activity in the region. The concept of leadership, measured through the participation as the first author of
documents in collaboration was used to determine the equity in research produced through international
collaboration.
Results: A total of 68,808 documents published from 2010 to 2017 were analyzed. Researchers from North America
and Europe participated in 82.14% of the global scientific production on HIV/AIDS, compared to just 21.61% from
Africa and the Middle East. Furthermore, the publications that did come out of these regions was concentrated in a
small number of countries, led by South Africa (41% of the documents). Other features associated with HIV/AIDS
publications from Africa include the importance of international collaboration from the USA, the UK, and other
European countries (75–93% of the documents) and the limited participation as first authors that is evident (30 to
36% of the documents). Finally, the publications to which African countries contributed had a notably different
disciplinary orientation, with a predominance of research on public health, epidemiology, and drug therapy.
Conclusions: It is essential to foster more balance in research output, avoid the concentration of resources that
reproduces the global North-South model on the African continent, and focus the research agenda on local
priorities. To accomplish this, the global North should strengthen the transfer of research skills and seek equity in
cooperative ties, favoring the empowerment of African countries. These efforts should be concentrated in countries
with low scientific activity and high incidence and prevalence of the disease. It is also essential to foster
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