A petechia (puh-TEE-kee-uh, plural petechiae puh-TEE-kee-eye) is a small red or purple spot on the body, caused by a minor hemorrhage (broken capillary blood vessels). Forceful coughing or vomiting can cause facial petechiae, especially around the eyes. Newborns often have facial petechiae from the tight squeeze through the cervix. Thus petechiae are fairly common and in general of no concern.

Heavy lifting may lead to petechiae that resemble thin red lines on the shoulders. Petechiae are also often found in cases of manual or ligature strangulation.

Petechiae are a sign of thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts), other disorders of coagulation. If they appear during illness, especially illness with fever, they may be a sign of septicemia (blood-borne bacterial infection), especially of Meningococcus (a causative agent of meningitis). The presence of petechiae in a sick child is therefore an important warning sign.

Associated conditions

• Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
• Boutonneuse fever
• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
• Congenital syphilis
• Dengue fever
• Duke's disease
• Ebola
• Erythroblastosis fetalis
• Gua Sha
• Henoch-Schönlein purpura
• Leukemia
• Protein-energy malnutrition
• Typhus
• Kawasaki disease

Medical signs

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