Review for 10.1186/s12876-017-0586-9 (2017)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Cytomegalovirus colitis in hospitalized i nflammatory bowel disease patients in Taiwan: a 
referral center study.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 25 Aug 2016 
 
Reviewer:  Sylvie  Pillet  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Weng et al. report the prevalence o f CMV infection in their IBD population of Taiwan. CMV 
infection was detected by histology examination and immunohistochemistry. The prevalence was 
low (<2%) and similar in UC and CD patients.  
 
The manuscript should be revised for english language.  
 
The main  point that should be rewritten is the way the biopsies were done and analysed. Were 
they done during acute flare -up? in inflammed tissue? in ulcere? how many biopsies and slides 
of the same biopsy were analysed? In the method section, the semi -quantitativ e scale should be 
described more precisely. Were the histological sections analysed by only one pathologist? the 
same along the period studied?  
 
Table 5: what is the definition of flare -up? of operation? (colectomy?) A figure depicting the 
positive cells (endothelial cells) should improve the documentation of the observation.  
 
The characteristic of the population analysed should be presented. Did al l patients present a 
severe disease? did they receive several regimens of immunosuppressive therapy? Were they all 
seropositive (IgG) for CMV?  
 
Please specify the dose and type of antiviral regimens, and how the patients were selected for 
antiviral therapy.  
 
The low prevalence of CMV infection in the population analysed in this study should be 
discussed and compared with other studies that are not cited in the bibliography section, and in 
which the prevalence of CMV infection was detected in around 30% of pat ients presenting 
severe or refractory UC.   
 
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 comme nts 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 
additiona l 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:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited  
 
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 this 
manuscript, 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 public ation 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  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
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to the editors, which will not be published . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal