AIM:To compare the previously employed classification of liver histology (minimal,chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis) with a new classification recently described by sheuer et al (activity grade and fibrosis stage) in percutaneous liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infections.METHODS:Liver biopsies from 79 untreated patients were reviewed. Anti-HCV testing had been performed by ELISA and confirmed by a recombinant immunoblot assay.With respect to the new classification, all the specimens were evaluated using the Knodell score for activity.RESULTS:A good correlation was revealed between the previous and more recent histologic classifica-tions in patients with abnormal liver enzyme tests. However, in 13/15 (87%) of patients with normal aminotransferase values, changes were consistent with chronic persistent hepatitis whereas normal activity and no fibrosis were demonstrated by the Sheuer classifica-tion.CONCLUSION:The old classification is more often mislead-ing but correlates well with the new classification and thereby permits comparisons between historically clinical studies.