In principle, patients with chronic hepatitis B, including hepatitis cirrhosis, should be treated with antiviral therapy as long as there is active viral replication. However, the efficacy of antiviral therapy is closely related to the patient’s underlying immune status. Patients in the immune tolerance phase often have difficulty achieving a sustained virologic response with current antiviral drug therapy. Even patients in the immune clearance phase alternate between immune activation and relative quiescence, and the efficacy of antiviral therapy is limited during the relatively quiescent phase of immune function. In general, the patient’s serum ALT level is a marker of immune activation and an indication for antiviral therapy. A consensus has been reached on the indications for antiviral therapy. The indications for antiviral therapy proposed in our guidelines for the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B include: 1. HBV DNA ≥ 105 copies/ml (≥ 104 copies/ml for HBeAg negative); 2. ALT ≥ 2×ULN; if used for interferon therapy, ALT should be ≤ 10×ULN and total blood bilirubin level