The current literature indicates that circulating Th17 cells increase histological activity index (HAI) via IL-17, IL-10, and INF-γ, and that IL-10, TNF-α, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta are correlated with fibrosis stages in CHB patients.14–18 In a cohort of African-American injection drug users with chronic hepatitis C, CXCR3 ligands (CXCL-11, CXCL-10, and CXCL-9) were shown to contribute to liver cirrhosis and to discriminate advance liver fibrosis from mild fibrosis.9,19 These studies, however, have included relatively few CHB patients with liver biopsy. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and fibrosis.