Abstract: OBJECTIVE To explore the visualization application of CiteSpace-based software on the published literatures of nosocomial infection in recent three years.METHODS The nosocomial infection literatures included in CNKI and Web of Science databases from 2016 to 2018 were analyzed by CiteSpace 5.3.R4 software. Literatures were explored in Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology and the English Journals including Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, American Journal of Infection Control and the Journal of Hospital Infection. The visualization analysis was performed in terms of countries, research institutions, authors and keywords.RESULTS A total of 4770 Chinese and 1569 English literatures were included. For countries and research institutions, the United States, Canada and China ranked the top three. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States published the most literatures. In China, the department of infection management and disease Control of Chinese PLA General Hospital published the most literatures. Donskey CJ, Safdar Nand et al. were the internationally influential scholars. Liu Yunxi, Hu Bijie, Gao Xiaodong and Suo Jijiang had great influence in China. English high frequency keywords were risk factors, epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and control, while Chinese high frequency keywords were pathogens, risk factors and drug resistance. It is worth noting that bloodstream infection, etiology, inflammatory factors, aging are becoming the new research hotspots in China.CONCLUSION CiteSpace software is useful for visually exhibiting the research hotspot and trends on the nosocomial infection research in China and abroad can intuitively display the hotspots and trends in the field of nosocomial infection research in China and abroad.