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Article History

Received: 6 October 2018

Accepted: 26 November 2018

First Online: 6 December 2018

Authors’ information

: Dr. Tawatchai Apidechkul is the Assistant Professor and Director of the Center of Excellence for the Hill-tribe Health Research and trained in infectious disease epidemiology at Emory University in the United States under the Hubert H. Humphrey (Fulbright) program and in the Global Health Delivery Intensive Program from Harvard University. Dr. Wipob Suttana earned his Ph.D. in Medical Technology and has worked on infectious diseases for 6 years. Dr. Niwed Kullawong earned his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and genetic engineering from Mahidol University, Thailand, and has worked in this field for almost 3 years. Panupong Upala, Ratipark Tamornpark, and Chadaporn Inta earned their M.Sc (Epidemiology) from Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand.

: All the research protocols and procedures were approved by the Mae Fah Luang University Research Ethics Committee on Human Research (No.007/2559), The Human Research Ethics Committee from Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Office (No 018/2559), and The Human Research Ethics Committee from Pha Yao Provincial Public Health Office (No. 005/2559). All parents were asked to help provide information, collect throat swabs from their children, and sign the informed consent form on behalf of their children before starting the data collection process.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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