First Molecular Identification of Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia africae in Ticks from Ghana.

"Disclosure: This study was approved by the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) (2016.0010), the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research IRB (CPN 110/15-16), and the Ghana Armed Forces IRB (IPN 093/2017) in compliance with all applicable federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects. It was part of a bigger protocol that involved human subjects, hence the previously stated IRBs. The vector aspect of the study was deemed to be a “field study” as defined in U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 3216.01, Use of Animals in DOD Programs; and SECNAVINST 3900.38C The Care and Use of Laboratory Animals in DOD Programs by the Naval Medical Research Center Veterinary Division. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. S. Nimo-Painstil, A.T. Fox, A.G. Letizia, and J.W. Diclaro II are military Service members or employees of the U.S. Government. This work was prepared as part of their official duties. Title 17, U.S.C., §105 provides that copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the U.S. government. Title 17, U.S.C., §101 defines a U.S. government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. government as part of that person’s official duties."

"Financial support: This work was funded by the U.S. Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division Global Emerging Infections Surveillance branch (ProMIS ID P2031_16_N3, funding year 2017). Work was also supported by a grant (9700130) from the Defense Health Agency through the Naval Medical Research Center and by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Contract No. N6600119C4022)."