CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia health officials have confirmed four cases of hepatitis A in Cabell, Jackson and Wayne counties in the past few weeks.

Hepatitis A is a fecal- and blood-based virus that causes irritation and swelling of the liver. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain and a yellowing of the skin or eyes.

The virus can be spread through sexual contact, contact with fecal matter and use of unclean needles.

The four cases were reported between Oct. 16 and 24, according to a health alert released by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health.

"Hepatitis A is not something that you see much at all," said Susan Hosaflook, director of the Jackson County Health Department.

The last confirmed case in Jackson County was several years ago, Hosaflook said. The county has only one recently confirmed case and is not investigating any other potential infections, she said.

There were about 25,000 new cases of hepatitis A reported across the nation in 2007, a drastic decline from the 255,000 reported in 1987, according to the most recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hepatitis A is rarely fatal, but symptoms can last two to six months. People most at risk of death or liver failure are age 50 or older or who have other liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or C.

Hepatitis A is most commonly passed from person to person through contact with fecal matter, either by a person not washing their hands after using the bathroom, changing a diaper or before preparing food, Hosaflook said.

"Washing your hands is the most preventable form of the transmission of diseases," she said, "and it's cheap."

Vaccines for hepatitis A are available through local health-care providers. Vaccinations for children under age 18 also are available at most county health departments.

Representatives with the Cabell County Health Department declined to say if officials were investigating any other cases in the county. Officials with the Wayne County Health Department were unavailable Thursday.

For more information about hepatitis A, or to report a case, call the state Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 800-423-1271.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni…@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.