Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0894-8 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Improving basic skills in celiac -like disease diagnosis : a case report.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 28 Aug 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Alexandra  Zhernakova  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
This report describes the case of celiac -like disease, characterized by severe villous atrophy, 
negative serology, and lack of improvement on gluten -free diet. After diagnosis and treatment of 
Giardiasis the clinical and histological signat ures of disease disappeared. Although Giardiasis is 
known to mimic the celiac -like villous atrophy, this case is rather exceptional for two reasons; 
first, celiac disease was diagnosed in patients' family, and, second, the exceptionally severe 
degree of vi llous atrophy (MarchIII), which for a long time was considered to be the golden 
standard in the diagnosis of celiac disease.  
 
 
I have only minor comments:  
 
1. "Recent case series and systematic reviews have shown that a wrong CD diagnosis can be 
reached in a consistent percentage of seronegative patients".  
 
Please add more details on what the "consistent percentage" is.  
 
 
2. Please specify if HLA -typing was p erformed, and if available, report the HLA alleles.  
 
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.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
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 publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in t he 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 
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which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal