title: Three cases of leptospirosis requiring intensive care.
abstract: Presented here are three cases of severe leptospirosis, one icteric and two pulmonary hemorrhagic, that occurred in patients in Styria, Austria. Leptospirosis presents with protean and nonspecific manifestations. Thus, as these three cases emphasize, the key to diagnosis may be maintaining a high index of suspicion for the disease in previously healthy febrile patients with septic shock, acute renal and hepatic dysfunction and respiratory failure requiring intensive care.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria. christoph.wenisch@meduni-graz.at
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scharfetter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mühlhans
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenisch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000502:physiology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged