Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: A practical guide for probiotics applied to th e case of antibiotic -associated diarrhea in The 
Netherlands  
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Jan 2018  
 
Reviewer: Raj Eri  
 
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 manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting m aterials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
The review article as a practical guide applied  to AAD in The Netherlands by Agamennone et 
al., is a well written paper. The abstract reflects the whole paper quite well. The introduction 
provides data on the usage of antibiotics in The Netherlands but all the other sections with 
respect to the probiotic trials in AAD are from all over the world. Flow of analysis especially the 
literature search and inclusion criteria is we ll described in the results but  the first part of 
discussion seems to repeat the results. The method of action can be expanded a bit more to 
reflect the latest research. The data analysis is excellent although I would specifically like a 
specific Figure f or AAD in children only. Another aspect I would like the authors to discuss is 
the timing of the probiotics. For example, what is the latest on usage of probiotics pre -antibiotics 
and along with antibiotics. Similarly, can the authors explain their star cl assification in a detailed 
fashion? I would also like the authors to expand more on the doses and explain better how the 
recommended dose was arrived at.  
Overall, a nice study.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work in clude the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
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 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 recei ved 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 r eview 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand t hat 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: A practical guide for probiotics applied to th e case of antibiotic -associated diarrhea in The 
Netherlands  
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Jan 2018  
 
Reviewer: Raj Eri  
 
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 manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting m aterials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
The review article as a practical guide applied  to AAD in The Netherlands by Agamennone et 
al., is a well written paper. The abstract reflects the whole paper quite well. The introduction 
provides data on the usage of antibiotics in The Netherlands but all the other sections with 
respect to the probiotic trials in AAD are from all over the world. Flow of analysis especially the 
literature search and inclusion criteria is we ll described in the results but  the first part of 
discussion seems to repeat the results. The method of action can be expanded a bit more to 
reflect the latest research. The data analysis is excellent although I would specifically like a 
specific Figure f or AAD in children only. Another aspect I would like the authors to discuss is 
the timing of the probiotics. For example, what is the latest on usage of probiotics pre -antibiotics 
and along with antibiotics. Similarly, can the authors explain their star cl assification in a detailed 
fashion? I would also like the authors to expand more on the doses and explain better how the 
recommended dose was arrived at.  
Overall, a nice study.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work in clude the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
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 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 recei ved 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 r eview 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand t hat 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: A practical guide for probiotics applied to th e case of antibiotic -associated diarrhea in The 
Netherlands  
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Jan 2018  
 
Reviewer: Raj Eri  
 
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 manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting m aterials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
The review article as a practical guide applied  to AAD in The Netherlands by Agamennone et 
al., is a well written paper. The abstract reflects the whole paper quite well. The introduction 
provides data on the usage of antibiotics in The Netherlands but all the other sections with 
respect to the probiotic trials in AAD are from all over the world. Flow of analysis especially the 
literature search and inclusion criteria is we ll described in the results but  the first part of 
discussion seems to repeat the results. The method of action can be expanded a bit more to 
reflect the latest research. The data analysis is excellent although I would specifically like a 
specific Figure f or AAD in children only. Another aspect I would like the authors to discuss is 
the timing of the probiotics. For example, what is the latest on usage of probiotics pre -antibiotics 
and along with antibiotics. Similarly, can the authors explain their star cl assification in a detailed 
fashion? I would also like the authors to expand more on the doses and explain better how the 
recommended dose was arrived at.  
Overall, a nice study.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work in clude the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
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 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 recei ved 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 r eview 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 Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand t hat 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