Histological comparison of chronic hepatitis B and C in an Indian population.

Many studies have shown that steatosis, lymphoid aggregates or follicles and bile duct injury on histology are more consistently associated with chronic hepatitis C than chronic hepatitis B. We compared liver biopsies of 30 patients of chronic hepatitis B with an equal number of age matched patients with chronic hepatitis C. Steatosis, lymphoid aggregates or follicles and bile duct injury were noted in 66.6%, 36.6% and 26.6% cases respectively of chronic hepatitis B as compared to 70%, 33.3% and 30% cases respectively of chronic hepatitis C. Thus none of the features were considered distinctive of HCV infection.