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Article History

Received: 13 September 2024

Accepted: 8 January 2025

First Online: 16 January 2025

Declarations

:

: The study protocols, including the method for collecting rectal swab samples and conducting genomic analysis, were approved by the Ethical Review Board (ERB) of the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales de Bukavu, RDC (ISTM-BUKAVU/CRPS/CIES/ML/0016/2023). The ERB explicitly granted a waiver of written informed consent, citing compliance with international ethical guidelines for research conducted during severe outbreaks (e.g., CIOMS 2016). These guidelines recommend the use of oral informed consent for participants with low literacy, particularly in public health emergencies where written consent may be impractical. In accordance with this waiver, all participants provided oral informed consent prior to sample collection. The study also adhered to national regulations of the Democratic Republic of Congo governing research ethics in public health emergencies. To ensure participant confidentiality, all collected samples were fully anonymised during the genomic analysis process.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.