Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Prevalence of human herpesviruses in biliary fluid and their association with biliary 
complications after liver transplantation  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Mar 2019 
 
Reviewer:  Omar  Massoud  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscrip ts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
 
Major:  
 
HHV -6 in bile was associated with non -anastomotic strictures and acute c ellular rejection. No 
explanation or possible explanation was attempted. It is known the non -anastomotic biliary 
strictures are related to ischemia and ACR is T cell immune response. No clear link between 
either condition and the presence of HHV -6 in bile.   
 
Major selection bias. Only patients with biliary complications are undergoing ERCP.  
 
 
Minor:  
 
1. Page 10, line 27: median =/ - SD. Should be range  or IQR. SD should be used with the 
mean and not median  
 
2. Page 10: Table 1 title, but there is no tables in t he page  
 
3. Page 13: Table 3 title but there is no tables  
 
4. Page 15, line 34: limitations. Page 17, line 36: limitations again.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify wha t 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.  
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 req uire 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
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 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 interest s? 
 
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 u pload 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/lice nses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
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  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Prevalence of human herpesviruses in biliary fluid and their association with biliary 
complications after liver transplantation  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Mar 2019 
 
Reviewer:  Omar  Massoud  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscrip ts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
 
Major:  
 
HHV -6 in bile was associated with non -anastomotic strictures and acute c ellular rejection. No 
explanation or possible explanation was attempted. It is known the non -anastomotic biliary 
strictures are related to ischemia and ACR is T cell immune response. No clear link between 
either condition and the presence of HHV -6 in bile.   
 
Major selection bias. Only patients with biliary complications are undergoing ERCP.  
 
 
Minor:  
 
1. Page 10, line 27: median =/ - SD. Should be range  or IQR. SD should be used with the 
mean and not median  
 
2. Page 10: Table 1 title, but there is no tables in t he page  
 
3. Page 13: Table 3 title but there is no tables  
 
4. Page 15, line 34: limitations. Page 17, line 36: limitations again.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify wha t 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.  
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 req uire 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
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 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 interest s? 
 
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 u pload 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/lice nses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
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  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Prevalence of human herpesviruses in biliary fluid and their association with biliary 
complications after liver transplantation  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Mar 2019 
 
Reviewer:  Omar  Massoud  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscrip ts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
 
Major:  
 
HHV -6 in bile was associated with non -anastomotic strictures and acute c ellular rejection. No 
explanation or possible explanation was attempted. It is known the non -anastomotic biliary 
strictures are related to ischemia and ACR is T cell immune response. No clear link between 
either condition and the presence of HHV -6 in bile.   
 
Major selection bias. Only patients with biliary complications are undergoing ERCP.  
 
 
Minor:  
 
1. Page 10, line 27: median =/ - SD. Should be range  or IQR. SD should be used with the 
mean and not median  
 
2. Page 10: Table 1 title, but there is no tables in t he page  
 
3. Page 13: Table 3 title but there is no tables  
 
4. Page 15, line 34: limitations. Page 17, line 36: limitations again.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify wha t 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.  
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 req uire 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
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 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 interest s? 
 
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 u pload 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/lice nses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
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  
assistant