Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0810-2 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Impact of nutrition and rotavirus infection on the infant gut microbiota in a humanized pig 
model  
 
Version: 0 Date: 12 Oct 2017  
 
Reviewer: Benoit Chassaing  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
In this manuscript by Anand Kumar and collaborators, the authors aimed to investigate the 
impact of malnutrition on rotavirus -induced disease severity, with a focus on microbiota 
composition. For this endeavor, they used a model of humanized pig model, in which pig born 
by C -section were colonized with human microbiota. Subsequently, dietary intervention was 
applied and animals were infected with rotavirus.  
Whil e highly descriptive in nature, this study nonetheless provide important evidence of the 
detrimental role played by malnutrition during rotavirus infection. I provide the following 
comments to the authors:  
- Figure 1 : the use of taxa summarization, for e xample at the phylum level, will be very useful 
here. Such representation can be generated through QIIME, and will help in comparing 
global microbiota composition between recipient and donor.  
 
- Figure 2: with the innovative approach used by the authors, I entirely agree that this figure is 
useful. However, I recommend to put it as figure 1.  
 
- It is not clear, in the method section, how the pig were housed following inoculation with 
human microbiota. Were they protected from environmental contamination?  
 
- Figure 3C: generating area under the curve representation will be useful here.  
 
- The authors should consider using principal coordinate analysis of the Unifrac distance in 
order to compare microbiota composition between individual (beta diversity). For examp le, 
as represented figure 6, it is impossible to appreciate inter -individual variations.  
Are the methods  appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
  
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conc lusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an addit ional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Accept able 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
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