FANCA and Friedreich ataxia: 2003). This work has extended the study to 40 supplementary patients reaching a total number of 95 patients. Haplotype analysis showed the presence of a common haplotype (226-95-218-132) shared by 42 patients, mostly originating from the South of Tunisia. The high incidence of FA in southern Tunisia is likely due to an ancestral founder mutation. Indeed, we have demonstrated that this haplotype is constantly associated to exon 15 deletion in FANCA gene.