Chronic viral hepatitis represents the most common liver disease worldwide. It can be induced by HBV (eventually as HDV-coinfection) and HCV. From the pathologist's point of view chronic hepatitis represents portal accentuated inflammation of the liver associated with a variable degree of interface hepatitis and acinar damage. Although much research has been done to unravel the mechanisms which cause chronic viral hepatitis, many questions are unanswered. Up to now, liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis. On one hand it shows the grade of inflammation and the stage of disease, on the other hand it can highlight additional liver diseases, which might have an adverse influence. Therefore, liver biopsy allows the best prediction of disease progression. In a recent consensus statement, the scoring system of Desmet was recommended for grading and staging of chronic hepatitis.