Introduction - The objectives of this study were to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients hospitalized for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in France, to estimate their number and incidence using data from the National Reference Center (CNR) for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers and the Hospital Information System (PMSI), and, finally, to assess the value of using the PMSI for epidemiological purposes. Method - The study involved analyzing and comparing PMSI data from 2002 to 2006 and data from the CNR for viral hemorrhagic fevers from 2005 to 2007 in metropolitan France. The total number of hospitalized cases and their incidence were estimated using the capture-recapture method. Results - The epidemiological characteristics of the disease were: a majority of male patients aged around 40 years, exposed to at least one known risk factor for the disease; seasonality between May and October; and a typical geographic location (northeastern France). The total number of hospitalized cases was estimated at 363 in 2005 and 65 in 2006. Discussion - FHSR is a rare disease in France; the characteristics described by the two sources were similar and comparable to those of cases observed in neighboring countries. The PMSI could be used to describe hospitalized cases for other diseases, as a supplement to existing data sources or for conditions for which no surveillance or specific data exist. (R.A.)