Petechia

Tiny, flat, non-blanching, macular hemorrhagic spots (1–3 mm) in the skin or mucous membranes caused by leakage of blood from small capillaries into surrounding tissues.

Causes

• Mechanical and traumatic causes

  • Coughing

  • Vomiting

  • Crying

  • Heavy lifting or straining

  • Local trauma

  • Scrapes or abrasions

  • Sunburn

  • Insect bites

  • Pressure-related capillary rupture

• Infectious causes

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection

  • Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection

  • Influenza

  • Streptococcal pharyngitis

  • Scarlet fever

  • Sepsis

  • Meningitis

• Hematological causes

  • Coagulation disorders

  • Thrombocytopenia

  • Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

  • Leukemia

  • Lymphoma

  • Bone marrow disorders causing impaired platelet production

  • Platelet dysfunction disorders

• Medications causing thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunction

  • Heparin

  • Warfarin

  • Penicillin and other antibiotics

  • Antiseizure medications

  • NSAIDs

  • Aspirin

• Nutritional causes

  • Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy)

  • Vitamin K deficiency

• Autoimmune and connective tissue causes

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

  • Autoimmune platelet destruction

  • Ehlers–Danlos syndrome

  • Vasculitis

• Liver disease with impaired clotting factor production