Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Virus de la hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus (HEH-puh-TY-tis VY-rus)
A virus that causes hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). It is carried and passed to others through blood or sexual contact. Also, infants born to infected mothers may become infected with the virus.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.