Petechiae
Petechiae or Petechial rash is a spot of red or purple color caused due minor hemorrhage. These spots usually occur on legs which may appear like rash initially but actually they are in clusters. These are small rashes of less than 3 mm diameter.
Petechial rash appear when blood vessels (capillaries) bleed and this blood is leaked into the skin. A number of factors like medical conditions, infections, trauma etc. can cause these capillaries to bleed. Petechial rashes are not harmful and disappear on their own within few days.
There are certain features of Petechiae that will help in early detection and differentiate these rashes from other diseases.
http://www.Symptoms-Causes-treatment.blogspot.com detect diseases at an early stage symptoms, and find out the causes and treatments best suited.
Petechial rash is usually a result of a trauma or an injury which in turn may be because of conditions like coughing, child birth, weightlifting, crying, vomiting or any activity related to prolonged straining.
There are certain medications too that can cause petechial rash. Some of these medicines include:
Also, Petechial rash on the skin and inner surface of mouth can be a result of infectious diseases. Following are some of the viral, bacterial and fungal infections that may cause petechial rash:
Petechial rash can also be caused due to noninfectious medical conditions like Hemolytic uremic syndrome, Vitamin deficiency, infantile scurvy, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and vasculitis.
There are many causes of petechial rash in children but some of them can be serious. Therefore it is imperative to seek medical care if rashes are caused by some serious condition:
Meningococcal infection: Often it starts as balanced rash and child may also have fever. In this condition rash may appear before eyes and can be very serious.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura: The child may develop large bruises caused due to low platelet count. Mostly, this condition resolves on its own but sometimes treatment may be required.
Leukemia: leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow that causes low blood cells. In this condition the child becomes pale and develops rash.
Infections: Any severe infection is likely to interfere with normal body clotting system.
The symptoms of Petechiae depends on underlying condition along with petechiae spots. Infections which may lead to rash are often accompanied by malaise, fever and flu.
In the beginning rash appear red in color and is in the form of individual marks. After some days, these blotches stick together and become rash. Petechiae are flat spots that change their color over the course of time.
If you or your child develops such symptoms then you should see a healthcare provider immediately. It is necessary to find out the underlying cause before it becomes too late.
To diagnose Petechiae, the doctor will ask about the patient’s history along with the physical examination of the rash. Usually to diagnose Petechiae, blood tests are done such as:
Your healthcare provider will ask to take up these tests to differentiate Petechial rash from other conditions including:
To begin with, Petechial rash treatment begins with identifying the underlying cause and treating it. If it gets corrected, the petechiae formation will automatically be treated. If some medication is the cause of petechial rash then stop taking that medicine immediately.
Antibiotics are prescribed if the rash is formed due to some infection. Antibiotics will cure the infection as well petechiae formation. In case of the Petechial rash formed due to injury to blood capillaries then ice packs and cold compress should be applied on the affected area.
If low platelet count has caused rash then platelet transfusion will alleviate petechiae formation. If rash are caused due to malignant conditions such as Leukemia then surgical treatment is required.
Here are the images of petechial rash on various parts of the body.





Petechiae or Petechial rash is a spot of red or purple color caused due minor hemorrhage. These spots usually occur on legs which may appear like rash initially but actually they are in clusters. These are small rashes of less than 3 mm diameter.
Petechial rash appear when blood vessels (capillaries) bleed and this blood is leaked into the skin. A number of factors like medical conditions, infections, trauma etc. can cause these capillaries to bleed. Petechial rashes are not harmful and disappear on their own within few days.
There are certain features of Petechiae that will help in early detection and differentiate these rashes from other diseases.
- The size of the Petechial rash ranges from 0.3 mm to 3 mm. Usually it is of 0.4mm to 1mm in diameter. Petechiae spot is tiny hemorrhagic spot and its larger form is known as purpura.
- Typically Petechiae can appear on any part of the body but it is most common in the areas like face, legs, thighs, ankles, back and shoulder.
- The color of the Petechiae changes with the passage of time. Initially it is red in color, changes to blue and finally becomes purple in color.
- Petechial rash has a unique characteristic that it does not go white when subjected to pressure. For this, the glass test can be conducted in which rash is pressed with glass and rash will be still visible.
http://www.Symptoms-Causes-treatment.blogspot.com detect diseases at an early stage symptoms, and find out the causes and treatments best suited.
Causes of petechiae
Petechial rash is usually a result of a trauma or an injury which in turn may be because of conditions like coughing, child birth, weightlifting, crying, vomiting or any activity related to prolonged straining.
There are certain medications too that can cause petechial rash. Some of these medicines include:
- Atropine
- Aspirin
- Cimetidine
- Carbamazepine
- Desipramine
- Indomethacin
- Morphine
- Naproxen
- Nitrofurantoin
- Penicillin
- Quinine
Also, Petechial rash on the skin and inner surface of mouth can be a result of infectious diseases. Following are some of the viral, bacterial and fungal infections that may cause petechial rash:
- Cytomegalovirus infection
- Endocarditic
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
- Meningococcemia
- Mononucleosis
- Parvovirus infection
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Scarlet fever
- Sepsis
- Strep throat
- Viral hemorrhagic fevers
Petechial rash can also be caused due to noninfectious medical conditions like Hemolytic uremic syndrome, Vitamin deficiency, infantile scurvy, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and vasculitis.
Petechiae in children
There are many causes of petechial rash in children but some of them can be serious. Therefore it is imperative to seek medical care if rashes are caused by some serious condition:
Meningococcal infection: Often it starts as balanced rash and child may also have fever. In this condition rash may appear before eyes and can be very serious.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura: The child may develop large bruises caused due to low platelet count. Mostly, this condition resolves on its own but sometimes treatment may be required.
Leukemia: leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow that causes low blood cells. In this condition the child becomes pale and develops rash.
Infections: Any severe infection is likely to interfere with normal body clotting system.
Symptoms of Petechial rash
The symptoms of Petechiae depends on underlying condition along with petechiae spots. Infections which may lead to rash are often accompanied by malaise, fever and flu.
In the beginning rash appear red in color and is in the form of individual marks. After some days, these blotches stick together and become rash. Petechiae are flat spots that change their color over the course of time.
If you or your child develops such symptoms then you should see a healthcare provider immediately. It is necessary to find out the underlying cause before it becomes too late.
Diagnosis of Petechiae
To diagnose Petechiae, the doctor will ask about the patient’s history along with the physical examination of the rash. Usually to diagnose Petechiae, blood tests are done such as:
- Platelet count
- Total blood count
- Bleeding time
- Partial thromboplastin time
- Prothrombin time
Your healthcare provider will ask to take up these tests to differentiate Petechial rash from other conditions including:
- Purpura
- Scurvy
- Hypersensitivity agilitis
- Rickettsial spots
- Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
- Thrombocytopenia
Treatment
To begin with, Petechial rash treatment begins with identifying the underlying cause and treating it. If it gets corrected, the petechiae formation will automatically be treated. If some medication is the cause of petechial rash then stop taking that medicine immediately.
Antibiotics are prescribed if the rash is formed due to some infection. Antibiotics will cure the infection as well petechiae formation. In case of the Petechial rash formed due to injury to blood capillaries then ice packs and cold compress should be applied on the affected area.
If low platelet count has caused rash then platelet transfusion will alleviate petechiae formation. If rash are caused due to malignant conditions such as Leukemia then surgical treatment is required.
Petechiae pictures
Here are the images of petechial rash on various parts of the body.
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