Platelet dysfunction contributes to the haemostatic defect in haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

To characterize further the nature of haemostatic impairment in haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, we assessed platelet function in 9 patients in whom the diagnosis was serologically confirmed. Defective platelet aggregation was demonstrated in every patient. An abnormality of the granule release reaction was demonstrated in all of 7 patients tested. Gel-filtered platelets from a normal subject showed normal aggregation in plasma from a patient with impaired aggregation, which is evidence for an intrinsic platelet defect, and against the presence of a circulating inhibitor in this patient.