Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1021-1 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Epstein -Barr virus infection is associated  with a higher Child -Pugh score and may predict 
poor prognoses for patients with liver cirrhosis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 27 Apr 2019  
 
Reviewer: Thomas Hor vatits  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors improved the manuscript accordingly.  
They now state in the results section: "3804 patients were excluded because of EBVDNA 
undetected or other reasons. A total of 97 patients with EBV DNA assessed were enrolled (Figure 
1), of which 36 (37.1%) were EBV DNA -positive, with a mean of 9,573.4 copies/mL."  
If authors write that 3804 patients were excluded because of undetected DNA ... this could also 
mean that NAT was performed but results we re negativ ... For reasons of better understandability 
please state this more clearly ... e.g. XXX patients were exlcuded because EBV -DNA was not 
assessed ... (if appropriate)  
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 conclusions 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 additional 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:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publi cation of this  
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financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you curr ently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any  other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
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