| Abstract
| - Summary. 37 patients with louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) were investigated. In 21 there was evidence of bleeding. Thrombocytopenia, with platelelet counts below 150,000/c.mm., was found in 31 (84%). This was attributed to increased consumption due to intravascular clotting and to pooling in the enlarged spleen. There was a significant correlation between bleeding and duration of illness, platelet count and SGOT. 7 out of 10 patients with prolonged prothrombin (PT) and partial thromboplastin times (PTT) and evidence of severe hepato-cellular damage, had epistaxis and purpura. Plasma fibrinogen levels were raised in 29 patients. Death of 1 patient who had hypo-fibrinogenaemia was attributed to DIC.
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