The prevalence of chronic HBV infection differs globally and continues to be a substantial public health burden accounting for 30% of all deaths from cirrhosis and 40% of all deaths from hepatocellular carcinoma. The WHO developed guidelines in 2015 on prevention, care and treatment of chronic HBV infection targeted to country program managers in all health care settings particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Because these guidelines were developed to target LMICs, several of the recommendations differ from those of the major Liver Societies, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Asian Pacific Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (APASL) and the European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (EASL). This review will highlight key differences between the AASLD and WHO guidelines and discuss the impact on management of chronic hepatitis B.