Hemostatic disorders in bird flu infection

Bird flu or avian flu, caused by the H5N1 virus, is a new emerging infectious disease. The present review summarizes the details of thrombohemostatic disorders in human bird flu infection. According to present evidence, thrombocytopenia is a common presentation of H5N1 infection but disturbance of the coagulation pathway is not. In conclusion, bleeding presentation in patients with bird flu might relate to the pathology of platelets. Based on present knowledge, there is no report of thrombotic complication in H5N1 infection.