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 classifications 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 classification.CONCLUSION The old classification is more often misleading but correlates well with the new classification and thereby permits comparisons between historically clinical studies.