Hospitalizations for communicable diseases in a developing country: prevalence and trends-Monastir, Tunisia, 2002-2013.

•The crude prevalence of hospitalizations for communicable diseases (HCD) was 5.41 per 1000 inhabitants. This decreased from 2000 to 2013, and the in-hospital mortality was 1.43% of HCD. It was higher in adults aged ≥65 years than in the other age groups.•Patients with tuberculosis had the highest median hospital length of stay (13days (interquartile range 7–23 days)).•Abdominal infections were the communicable diseases most often recorded in the university hospital in Monastir. Abdominal infections ranked second regarding the rate of hospitalization for communicable diseases for both sexes.•Acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis was the predominant diagnosis among the 34 289 admissions (12%).