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Article History

Received: 5 December 2016

Accepted: 26 October 2017

First Online: 15 November 2017

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: As the trappings of small mammals were conducted as part of regular pest control measures in accordance with the NATO Standardized Agreement 2048 "Deployment Pest and Vector Surveillance and Control ", no approval by an ethics committee was required. No field permit was required as trappings in Afghanistan took place within the boundaries of ISAF property and were conducted by ISAF staff. For astrovirus investigations, additional M. musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus specimens were collected within the network “Rodent-borne pathogens” in 2015 in Westphalia, Germany by a pest controller and from a scientific mouse breeding facility described before []. These animals in North Rhine-Westphalia were collected by a cooperation partner as part of its pest control measures. Therefore, specific animal ethics permits were not required. All trappings in Afghanistan, Germany and the United Kingdom were performed in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act of the Federal Republic of Germany (TierSchG; BGBl. S. 1206 (2006)) and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of the United Kingdom. Snap traps and trapping procedures were in compliance with DIN10523. No endangered species were trapped.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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