Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Helicobacter pylori infections in Ethiopia;  prevalence and associated factors: A systematic 
review and meta -analysis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 10 Dec 2018  
 
Reviewer: Jen-Hao Yeh  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have done appropriate revisions to improve readability, methodology and inference.  
While their efforts are appreciated, I would like to point out two points:  
1. Search method for unp ublished data, as shown in the response, had better to be added in the 
Methods.  
 
2. Although the authors have address on it, I still disagree the statement that: "Even though not 
significant; male participants (OR = ...) and urban residents (OR = ...)  
were  more likely to be infected with H.pylori than their counter parts"; not only because the 
confidence interval (CI) contains RR = 1, but also the seemingly narrow CI  
and lack of further clinical meaningful explanation. If these points were true, why don't state 
older age is borderline associated with more infection ?  
(Figure 4b, RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.70 - 1.03, p = 0.09).  
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  
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 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  
 
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 repo rt 
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 Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understan d 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: Helicobacter pylori infections in Ethiopia;  prevalence and associated factors: A systematic 
review and meta -analysis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 10 Dec 2018  
 
Reviewer: Jen-Hao Yeh  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have done appropriate revisions to improve readability, methodology and inference.  
While their efforts are appreciated, I would like to point out two points:  
1. Search method for unp ublished data, as shown in the response, had better to be added in the 
Methods.  
 
2. Although the authors have address on it, I still disagree the statement that: "Even though not 
significant; male participants (OR = ...) and urban residents (OR = ...)  
were  more likely to be infected with H.pylori than their counter parts"; not only because the 
confidence interval (CI) contains RR = 1, but also the seemingly narrow CI  
and lack of further clinical meaningful explanation. If these points were true, why don't state 
older age is borderline associated with more infection ?  
(Figure 4b, RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.70 - 1.03, p = 0.09).  
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  
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 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  
 
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 repo rt 
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 Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understan d 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: Helicobacter pylori infections in Ethiopia;  prevalence and associated factors: A systematic 
review and meta -analysis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 10 Dec 2018  
 
Reviewer: Jen-Hao Yeh  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have done appropriate revisions to improve readability, methodology and inference.  
While their efforts are appreciated, I would like to point out two points:  
1. Search method for unp ublished data, as shown in the response, had better to be added in the 
Methods.  
 
2. Although the authors have address on it, I still disagree the statement that: "Even though not 
significant; male participants (OR = ...) and urban residents (OR = ...)  
were  more likely to be infected with H.pylori than their counter parts"; not only because the 
confidence interval (CI) contains RR = 1, but also the seemingly narrow CI  
and lack of further clinical meaningful explanation. If these points were true, why don't state 
older age is borderline associated with more infection ?  
(Figure 4b, RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.70 - 1.03, p = 0.09).  
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  
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 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  
 
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 repo rt 
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 Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understan d 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