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Article History

Received: 30 August 2025

Accepted: 2 February 2026

First Online: 6 February 2026

Declarations

:

: This research was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Following the submission of the preliminary proposal, the study received approval from the Institutional Ethics and Review Board of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran, and the necessary permission for sample collection was granted (IR.AJUMS.MEDICINE.REC.1400.001). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. After the preliminary proposal was submitted, permission to collect the sample was granted. The Tuberculosis Center Data Protection Authority also approved the study. All respondents were provided with an information letter about the study and asked to give written consent to participate. We made it clear that participation was voluntary and that individuals could withdraw from the study at any time. Furthermore, all procedures involving human participants confirmed that written consent had been obtained for the use of their information. In this study, personal information such as names, surnames, ethnicity, and personal identification numbers, as well as any information participants requested remain unpublished, was excluded.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.