GPT and chronic hepatitis B virus infection: Patients with CHB were further divided into the following four groups (representing the four phases of HBV natural history) according to the presence of the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and the level of ALT: HBeAg (+) chronic HBV infection, HBeAg (+) chronic hepatitis B, HBeAg (−) chronic HBV infection, and HBeAg (−) chronic hepatitis B. The alpha and beta diversities were compared between the four groups and patients with resolved HBV.