There is evidence that gamma/delta TCR+T cells are specialized in recognizing different antigens, but their immunologic role as a second TCR is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the percentage of absolute numbers of circulating gamma/delta TCR + T cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and to compare with HBsAg+, HCV healthy carriers and healthy subjects. Forty nine patients with CVH-24 with chronic active (CAH) and 25 with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH)-, 21 HBsAg+, 20 HCV asymptomatic carriers and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Lymphocyte subsets were determined after incubation with monoclonal antibodies to T total (CD5) and T gamma/delta cells (TCR-gamma/delta-1) using immunofluorescence microscopy. An increased number of circulating gamma/delta TCR + T cells was found in patients with CVH in comparison with asymptomatic carriers and normal controls: this increase was more profound in patients with CAH, compared to CPH patients. These results indicate a correlation between circulating gamma/delta TCR + T cells in CVH patients and activity and chronicity of the disease.