All Topics  
Petechia

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Petechia
 
 
  Topics Petechia Topic Home

A petechia , plural petechiae is a small (1-2mm) red or purple spot on the body, caused by a minor hemorrhage (broken capillary
Capillary

Capillaries are the smallest of a body's blood vessels, measuring 5-10 micrometre in diameter, which connect arterioles and venules, and enable the interchange of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and many other nutrient and waste chemical substances between blood and surrounding tissue s....
 blood vessel
Blood vessel

The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the artery, which carry the blood away from the heart, the capillary, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and the tissues; and the veins, which carry blood from...
s).

The most common cause of petechiae is through physical trauma such as a hard bout of coughing, vomiting or crying which can result in facial petechiae, especially around the eyes. Petechiae in this instance are completely harmless and usually disappear within a few days.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Petechia'
Start a new discussion about 'Petechia'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


A petechia , plural petechiae is a small (1-2mm) red or purple spot on the body, caused by a minor hemorrhage (broken capillary
Capillary

Capillaries are the smallest of a body's blood vessels, measuring 5-10 micrometre in diameter, which connect arterioles and venules, and enable the interchange of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and many other nutrient and waste chemical substances between blood and surrounding tissue s....
 blood vessel
Blood vessel

The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the artery, which carry the blood away from the heart, the capillary, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and the tissues; and the veins, which carry blood from...
s).

The most common cause of petechiae is through physical trauma such as a hard bout of coughing, vomiting or crying which can result in facial petechiae, especially around the eyes. Petechiae in this instance are completely harmless and usually disappear within a few days. Petechiae may be a sign of thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is the presence of relatively few platelets in blood.Generally speaking, in humans, a normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 and 450,000 per mm3....
 (low platelet
Platelet

Platelets, or Thrombocyte, are small, irregularly shaped anuclear cells, 2-4?m in diameter, which are derived from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes....
 counts), in circumstances when platelet function is inhibited (e.g., as a side effect of medications or during certain infections), or in clotting factor deficiencies. They may also occur when excessive pressure is applied to tissue (e.g., when a tourniquet is applied to an extremity or with excessive coughing).

If unsure, petechiae should always be quickly investigated. They can be interpreted as vasculitis
Vasculitis

Vasculitis refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders that are characterized by inflammatory destruction of blood vessels.Both arteries and veins are affected....
, an inflammation of the blood vessels, which requires immediate treatment to prevent permanent damage. Some malignancies can also cause petechiae to appear. Petechiae should be investigated by a skilled health care provider immediately to rule out the more dangerous conditions. Dermatologists can be the most helpful specialists in these conditions because they can more easily identify if the condition is petechiae or some similar looking but less worrisome rash.

The significance of petechiae in children depends on the clinical context in which they arise. Petechiae in children can occur with viral infections. In this instance, they do not necessarily signify a serious illness. However, they are a hallmark signal of some potentially serious illnesses, such as meningococcemia
Meningococcemia

Meningococcal disease describes infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis and carries a high mortality rate if untreated. Whilst best known as a cause of meningitis, wide spread blood infection is more damaging and dangerous....
, leukemia
Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
, and certain causes of thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is the presence of relatively few platelets in blood.Generally speaking, in humans, a normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 and 450,000 per mm3....
. Therefore, their presence should not be ignored.

Associated conditions

  • Hypocalcemia
  • Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
    Bolivian hemorrhagic fever

    Bolivian hemorrhagic fever , also known as black typhus or Machupo virus, is a hemorrhagic fever and zoonosis infectious disease occurring in Bolivia....
  • Boutonneuse fever
    Boutonneuse fever

    Boutonneuse fever is a fever as a result of a Rickettsia infection caused by the bacterium Rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus....
  • Cerebral malaria
  • Congenital syphilis
    Congenital syphilis

    Congenital syphilis is syphilis present in utero and at birth, and occurs when a child is born to a mother with secondary or tertiary syphilis. Untreated syphilis results in a high risk of a bad outcome of pregnancy, including Mulberry molars in the fetus....
  • Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
    Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

    Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread tick-borne viral disease, a zoonosis of domesticated animals and wildlife, that may affect humans....
  • Dengue fever
    Dengue fever

    Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever are acute fever tropical diseases, found in the tropics and Africa, and caused by four closely related virus serotypes of the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae....
  • Duke's disease
    Duke's disease

    Dukes' disease or fourth disease is an exanthem.It is named for Clement Dukes.Some of these eruptions are characteristic of the causative virus, but in most cases one must be satisfied with the diagnosis of viral rash....
  • Ebola
    Ebola

    Ebola is the common term for a group of viruses belonging to genus Ebolavirus , family Filoviridae, and for the disease that they cause, Ebola viral hemorrhagic fever....
  • Endocarditis
    Endocarditis

    Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves . Other structures which may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendinae, the mural endocardium, or even on intracardiac devices....
  • Erythroblastosis fetalis
  • Gua Sha
    Gua Sha

    Gua Sha , literally "to scrape away fever" in Chinese language , is an ancient medical treatment.Sometimes referred to as "spooning" by English speakers, it has also been given the descriptive French name, "tribo-effleurage"....
  • Henoch-Schönlein purpura
    Henoch-Schönlein purpura

    Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura, also known as allergic purpura or anaphylactoid purpura and commonly abbreviated to HSP, is a systemic vasculitis characterized by deposition of immune complexes containing the antibody IgA in the skin and kidney....
  • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
    Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

    Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is the condition of having a low platelet platelet count of no known cause . As most causes appear to be related to antibody against platelets, it is also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura or immune-mediated thrombocytopenic purpura....
  • Leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
  • Childhood protein-energy malnutrition such as Kwashiorkor
    Kwashiorkor

    Kwashiorkor is a type of malnutrition with controversial causes, but it is commonly believed to be caused by insufficient protein consumption. It usually affects children aged 1?4 years, although it also occurs in older children and adults....
     or Marasmus
    Marasmus

    Marasmus is a form of severe protein-energy malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency.A child with marasmus looks Emaciation. Body weight may be reduced to less than 80% of the normal weight for that height....
  • Typhus
    Typhus

    Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters. The causative organism is Rickettsia prowazekii, transmitted by the human body louse ....
     
  • Scarlet fever
    Scarlet fever

    Scarlet fever is a disease caused by an exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. The term Scarlatina may be used interchangeably with Scarlet Fever, though it is commonly used to indicate the less acute form of Scarlet Fever that is often seen since the beginning of the twentieth century....
  • Schamberg's disease
  • Kawasaki disease
    Kawasaki disease

    Kawasaki disease is an inflammation of the middle-sized arteries. It affects many organs, including the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and blood vessel walls, but the most serious effect is on the heart....
  • Kawasaki fever
  • Rocky mountain spotted fever
    Rocky Mountain spotted fever

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most lethal and most frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States. It has been diagnosed throughout the Americas....


Forensics

Petechiae on the face and conjunctiva
Conjunctiva

The conjunctiva is a clear mucous membrane consisting of cells and underlying basement membrane that covers the sclera and lines the inside of the eyelids....
 (eyes) are a sign of a death by asphyxia
Asphyxia

Asphyxia is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking....
tion. They are thought to result from an increase of pressure in the vein
Vein

In the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary vein and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated blood....
s of the head and hypoxic
Hypoxia (medical)

Hypoxia is a Pathology condition in which the body as a whole or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Variations in arterial oxygen concentrations can be part of the normal physiology, for example, during strenuous physical exercise....
 damage to endothelial
Endothelium

The endothelium is the thin layer of cell that line the interior surface of blood vessels, forming an interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall....
 of blood vessels.

See also

  • Purpura
    Purpura

    Purpura is the appearance of red or purple discolorations on the skin that do not blanch on applying pressure. They are caused by bleeding underneath the skin....
  • Ecchymoses


External links