Background It has been known that intra-cellualr immunity is important for defense against viral infections and this function lies with interferon gamma (INF-γ). Here we evaluated the role of IFN-γ system in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC).Methods The levels of interferon gamma receptor alpha (IFNGRα) on the peripheral lymphocyte membrane were assayed with flow cytometry. The plasma concentrations of the cytokines IFN-γ and IL-10 in CHC patients and normal controls were assayed by enzume-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The samples were collected randomly from Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Zhejiang and the northern regions of Jiangsu Province in China.Results The levels of IFNGRα in CHC patients were significantly lower than that of normal controls (NC), especially among patients during the stable stage (P