Three cases of leptospirosis requiring intensive care.

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.