The specimens of this study were obtained from 110 cases of chronic hepatitis,108cirrhosis and 110 primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC).Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded seetions were stained by ABC method forHBxAg,and by PAP method for HRsAg and HBcAgOf the 110 cases of chronic hepatitis,72(65.5％)were positive HBxAg in the liver cells,66(60％)were postitive in HBsAg and 35(31.8％)in HBcAg.Among the 108 eases of drrhosis,84(77.8％)revealed to be HBxAg positive in the liver cells,73(67.6％)were demonstrated to beHBsAg-positive and 18(16.7％)were shown to be HBcAg-positive.Among the 110 eases of pri-mary hepatic carcinoma,64(58.2％)showed HBxAg-positive reaction in cancerous tissues.Therates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in tumor tissues were 15.5％ and 10.9％,respectively.Six-ty-three(78.8％)of 80 cases of the non-cancerous hepatic tissues displayed HBxAg positivenessand the rates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in the non-tumor tissues were 47(58.8％)and 21(2.6.3％),respectively.The above-mentioned results sugared that the detection rote of HBxAg inchronic hepatitis,cirrhosis and PHC was higher than that of HBsAg and HBcAg.This studydemonstrates a dose relationship between chronic hepatitis,cirrhosis,PHC and chronic persistentinfection of hepatitis B virus(HBV).Persistent chronic HBV infection plays an important role inthe pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and PHC.It is possible that the detection ofHBxAg with anti-HBx could be an additional new diagnostic marker for HBV infection.Howev-er,the role of HBxAg in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases needs to be furtherinvestigated. The specimens of this study were obtained from 110 cases of chronic hepatitis, 108 cirrhosis and 110 primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC). Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded seeages were stained by ABC method for HBxAg, and by PAP method for HRsAg and HBcAgOf the 110 cases of chronic hepatitis, 72 (65.5%) were positive for HBxAg in the liver cells, 66 (60%) were postitive in HBsAg and 35 (31.8%) in HBcAg.Among the 108 eases of drrhosis, 84 (77.8%) revealed to be Of the HBeAg positive in the liver cells, 73 (67.6%) were demonstrated to be HBsAg-positive and 18 (16.7%) were shown to be HBcAg-positive. Among the 110 eases of pri- mary hepatic carcinoma, 64 (58.2%) showed HBxAg -positive reaction in cancerous tissues. Therates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in tumor tissues were 15.5% and 10.9% respectively.Six-ty-three (78.8%) of 80 cases of the non-cancerous hepatic tissues displayed HBxAg positiveness and the rates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in the non-tumor tissues were 47 (58.8%) and 21 (2.6.3%), respectively.Th e above-mentioned results sugared that the detection rote of HBxAg inchronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and PHC was higher than that of HBsAg and HBcAg. this study demonstrates a dose relationship between chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, PHC and chronic persistent infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Persistent chronic HBV infection plays an important role inthe pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and PHC. It is possible that the detection of HBxAg with anti-HBx could be an additional new diagnostic marker for HBV infection. Howev-er, the role of HBxAg in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases needs to be further investigated.