The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of
Hepatitis A virus antibodies in patients with clinical symptoms of viral
hepatitis and molecular characterization of the detected isolates. The present study deals with the seroprevalence and the genetic diversity of HAV in 400 Tunisian patients presenting in dispensaries (160 patients) and in University Hospitals (240 patients) with
hepatitis symptoms between 2006 and 2008. The patients with acute
hepatitis were mainly from rural regions. However, the total number of patients was decreased over time. The collected samples were from patients with
hepatitis symptoms occurring mainly during January-March (36.7, 26, and 35.5%) and September-December (39.4, 43.4, and 35.5%) during the three years of study, respectively. However, HAV
infection was established for only 110 among 400 patients. The detected isolates were clustered within sub-genotype IA. The present study constituted another report of the continued surveillance of HAV
infection in the region of Monastir and the molecular characterisation of the detected strains.