Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01395-9 (2020)

Reviewer’ s report
Title: Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection involving gastrointestinal tract mimicking
inflammatory bowel disease
Version: 1Date: 21 Mar 2020
Reviewer: Ayoko Arai
Reviewer's report:
This is a manuscript for inflammatory bowel disease-like patients with EBV-DNA detection in PB.
The diagnosis criteria of chronic active EBV infection should be reconsidered. According to theWHO classification of hematological malignancies revised in 2017, chronic active EBV infectionis an EBV-positive T- or NK-cell neoplasm. The diagnosis should be made by this definition.EBV-infection on T- or NK-cells was not determined in the present cases. The authors shouldcheck the infected cells not only for 'CAEBV' cases but also 'control' cases in the study.
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
NoDoes the work include the necessary controls?
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.
No
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.
NoAre 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 furtherassessment in your comments to the editors.
Not relevant to this manuscriptQuality 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 publication of thismanuscript, either now or in the future?
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?
3. Do you hold or are you currently 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.I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative CommonsCC-BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). I understand that any commentswhich I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential commentsto the editors, which will not be published.
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal