[Value of puncture biopsy of the liver during diagnostic and follow-up examinations (clinical aspects, immunological markers, images) in chronic hepatitis].

Chronic hepatitis is defined as chronic liver disease of at least 6 months' duration. Liver biopsy is essential for diagnosis and allows classification into chronic persistent hepatitis and chronic active hepatitis. Chronic persistent hepatitis is associated with hepatitis B infection or with infection with the non A non B viruses. The prognosis is good and it requires no treatment. Autoimmune chronic active hepatitis presents a very active clinical, biochemical and immunological picture. Prednisolone therapy is of benefit in prolonging life. Steroid therapy is disappointing in hepatitis B related chronic active hepatitis. Superinfection with delta agent may affect HBsAg positive patients: it appears to cause activation of disease and progression towards cirrhosis. Hepatocarcinoma is another complication of chronic B infection. Chronic active non A non B hepatitis is diagnosed by elimination since there is no specific diagnostic test.