Petechia causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Common causes in adults

• Prolonged straining- crying, coughing, vomiting, childbirth.
• Medications- atropine, carbamazepine, heparin, indomethacin, penicillin, quinine, warfarin.
• Infections- Cytomegalovirus, endocarditis, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, meningococcemia, mononucleosis, rocky Mountain spotted fever, scarlet fever, sepsis, viral hemorrhagic fevers.
• Injuries and sunburn.

Causes in adults by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Altamira syndrome, Asphyxiation,bacterial endocarditis, autoimmune vasculitis, clotting factor defect,disseminated intravascular coagulation, endocarditis, infective endocarditis , urticarial vasculitis, Secondary vasculitis
Chemical/Poisoning	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	Acroangiodermatitis, autoimmune vasculitis, Gardner-diamond syndrome, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Immune thrombocytopenia purpura, nodular vasculitis, pancytopenia, polyarteritis nodosa, secondary vasculitis, senile purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, tyrosinaemia type 1
Drug Side Effect	Cilostazol, corticosteroid use, vitamin K deficiency, warfarin necrosis, Aztreonam, Febuxostat, caspofungin acetate, Dexamethasone, Lidocaine (cream), Meprobamate, Pergolide, Pramipexole, prednisolone, prednisone, Tiagabine, Zonisamide
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Altamira syndrome, Amyloidosis
Environmental	Heat stroke
Gastroenterologic	Amyloidosis, Grey Turner's sign, scurvy
Genetic	Asphyxiation, ethylmalonic aciduria, ethylmalonic encephalopathy, gaucher disease perinatal lethal form, leukocyte adhesion deficiency type iii, Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia with combined immunodeficiency typhus fever, X-linked dyserythropoietic anaemia and thrombocytopenia
Hematologic	Acroangiodermatitis, acute biphenotypic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, alemtuzumab, anorexia nervosa, bolivian hemorrhagic fever, myeloid leukemia philadelphia-positive, chronic myeloproliferative disorders, Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis clotting factor defect, congenital cytomegalovirus infection, cryoglobulinaemia, dengue, disseminated intravascular coagulation, fat embolism, neisseria gonorrhoea, hantavirosis, hemorragic fever with renal syndrome, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, lymphoblastic lymphoma, machupo virus, myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis, familial atrial myxoma, Neisseria meningiditis, fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, gardner-diamond syndrome, rickettsiae, senile purpura, t-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, thrombocytopenia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, urticarial vasculitis, warfarin necrosis, acute infantile hemorrhagic oedema, Atrus syndrome, calcaneal petechiae, myeloid leukemia philadelphia-negative , acquired aplastic anemia, myeloproliferative disease, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, hypersensitivity vasculitis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, immune thrombocytopenia purpura, leptospirosis, X-linked dyserythropoietic anaemia and thrombocytopenia
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	Anorexia nervosa, bacterial endocarditis, bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Congenital cytomegalovirus infection, dengue, endocarditis, Neisseria gonorrhoea, Hantavirosis, Machupo virus, Neisseria meningiditis, nodular vasculitis, relapsing fever, Rickettsiae, trauma, vasculitis hypersensitivity, infective endocarditis , human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, leptospirosis
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic	Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia with combined immunodeficiency, atrus syndrome, calcaneal petechiae,
Neurologic	Familial atrial myxoma, Neisseria meningiditis
Nutritional/Metabolic	Ethylmalonic aciduria, gardner-diamond syndrome, scurvy, typhus fever, vibrio vulnificus
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Fat embolism, Neisseria gonorrhoea, fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Oncologic	Acute biphenotypic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, asphyxiation, myeloid leukemia philadelphia-positive, chronic myeloproliferative disorders, lymphoblastic lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myeloid leukemia philadelphia-negative, myeloproliferative disease
Ophthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose/Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	Amyloidosis
Pulmonary	Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis,
Renal/Electrolyte	Hemorragic fever with renal syndrome, Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura,
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy	Acquired aplastic anemia, Altamira syndrome, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, autoimmune vasculitis, cryoglobulinaemia, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, fat embolism, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, hemorragic fever with renal syndrome, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, hypersensitivity vasculitis, leukocyte adhesion deficiency type iii, microscopic polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, secondary vasculitis, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, typhus fever, tyrosinaemia type 1
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Calcaneal petechiae,
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Argentinean hemorrhagic fever

Causes of petechia in adults in Alphabetical Order

• Acquired aplastic anemia
• Acroangiodermatitis
• Acute biphenotypic leukemia
• Acute infantile hemorrhagic oedema
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia
• Alemtuzumab
• Altamira syndrome
• Amyloidosis
• Anorexia nervosa
• Argentinean hemorrhagic fever
• Asphyxiation
• Atrus syndrome
• Autoimmune thrombocytopenia
• Autoimmune vasculitis
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
• Calcaneal petechiae
• Chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis
• Chronic myeloproliferative disorders
• Cilostazol
• Clotting factor defect
• Congenital cytomegalovirus infection
• Corticosteroid use
• Cryoglobulinaemia
• Dengue
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Endocarditis
• Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
• Ethylmalonic aciduria
• Ethylmalonic encephalopathy
• Familial atrial myxoma
• Fat embolism
• Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
• Gardner-diamond syndrome
• Gaucher disease perinatal lethal form
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
• Grey Turner's sign
• Hantavirosis
• Heat stroke
• Hemorragic fever with renal syndrome
• Henoch-schönlein purpura
• Human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis
• Hypersensitivity vasculitis
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Immune thrombocytopenia purpura
• Infective endocarditis
• Leptospirosis
• Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type iii
• Lymphoblastic lymphoma
• Machupo virus
• Microscopic polyangiitis
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Myeloid leukemia philadelphia-negative
• Myeloid leukemia philadelphia-positive
• Myeloproliferative disease
• Neisseria gonorrhoea
• Neisseria meningiditis
• Nodular vasculitis
• Pancytopenia
• Polyarteritis nodosa
• Relapsing fever
• Rickettsiae
• Scurvy
• Secondary vasculitis
• Senile purpura
• Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia with combined immunodeficiency
• T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Thrombocytopenia
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Topical glucocorticoids
• Trauma
• Typhus fever
• Tyrosinaemia type 1
• Urticarial vasculitis
• Vasculitis hypersensitivity
• Vibrio vulnificus
• Vitamin k deficiency
• Warfarin necrosis
• X-linked dyserythropoietic anaemia and thrombocytopenia

Causes

Causes in children by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, Vasculitis
Chemical/Poisoning	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	Disseminated intravascular coagulation, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, vasculitis,
Drug Side Effect	No underlying causes
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	No underlying causes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	Forceful vomiting causing petechiae on face, hypersplenism , liver disease, necrotizing enterocolitis , sequestration.
Genetic	May Hegglin anomaly, Von Willebrand disease, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
Hematologic	Acquired platelet function abnormalities, Aplastic anemia, B12 deficiency, Bernard-Soulier syndrome, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, bone marrow infiltration,Boutonneuse fever , Cavernous hemangioma, Cerebral malaria, Congenital syphilis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Dengue fever, disseminated intravascular coagulation, Duke's fever, Ebola , Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, Fanconi anemia , Folate deficiency , Forceful vomiting causing petechiae on face, Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, Hemolytic uremic syndrome , hemolytic uremic syndrome, hemophilia,Henoch-schönlein purpura, Hypersplenism , Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Immune throbocytopenia, Inherited thrombocytopenias, Leukaemia , May Hegglin anomaly, Meningococcal disease , neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, Neonatal purpura fulminans, sequestration, Thrombocytopenia , Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura , thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, Vitamin K deficiency, Von Willebrand Disease, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome .
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Boutonneuse fever, Congenital syphilis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Dengue fever, Duke's fever, Ebola, Hemolytic uremic syndrome, hemolytic uremic syndrome, Meningococcal disease, Sepsis
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic	bone marrow infiltration, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, Osteopetrosis
Neurologic	B12 deficiency, cavernous hemangioma, cerebral malaria, meningococcal disease
Nutritional/Metabolic	B12 deficiency, Folate deficiency, Metabolic disorders, Vitamin C deficiency, vitamin K deficiency,
Obstetric/Gynecologic	neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Oncologic	Fanconi anemia , Leukaemia
Ophthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose/Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	Child abuse
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal/Electrolyte	Hemolytic uremic syndrome
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy	Aplastic anemia , Henoch-schönlein purpura, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Immune thrombocytopenia purpura, vasculitis, Kawasaki fever
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Child abuse, Trauma
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	No underlying causes

Causes of petechia in children in Alphabetical Order

• Acquired platelet function abnormalities
• Aplastic anemia
• B12 deficiency
• Bernard-Soulier syndrome
• Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
• Bone marrow failure
• Bone marrow infiltration
• Boutonneuse fever
• Cavernous hemangioma
• Cerebral malaria
• Child abuse
• Congenital syphilis
• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
• Dengue fever
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Drug induced thrombocytopenia
• Duke's fever
• Ebola
• Ehlers–Danlos syndrome
• Fanconi anemia
• Folate deficiency
• Forceful vomiting causing petechiae on face
• Glanzmann's thrombasthenia
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome
• Hemophilia
• Henoch-schönlein purpura
• Hypersplenism
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Immune thrombocytopenia purpura
• Inherited thrombocytopenias
• Kawasaki fever
• Leukaemia
• Liver disease
• May Hegglin anomaly
• Meningococcal disease
• Metabolic disorders
• Necrotizing enterocolitis
• Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
• Neonatal purpura fulminans
• Osteopetrosis
• Sepsis
• Sequestration
• Thrombocytopenia
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Trauma
• Vasculitis
• Vitamin C deficiency
• Vitamin K deficiency
• Von Willebrand Disease
• Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

Life-Threatening Causes

• placental abruption causing DIC

Causes in pregnant women by Organ System

Cardiovascular	No underlying causes
Chemical/Poisoning	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	Steroid use
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	No underlying causes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	No underlying causes
Genetic	No underlying causes
Hematologic	Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, isoimmune thrombocytopenia, placental abruption causing DIC
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	Meningococcal disease, rickettsia lillness, viral illness
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic	No underlying causes
Neurologic	Meningococcal disease
Nutritional/Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Hyperemesis gravidarum (on face)
Oncologic	No underlying causes
Ophthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose/Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal/Electrolyte	No underlying causes
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy	No underlying causes
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Trauma
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	No underlying causes

Causes of petechia in pregnant women in Alphabetical Order

• Hyperemesis gravidarum
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Isoimmune thrombocytopenia
• Meningococcal disease
• Placental abruption causing DIC
• Rickettsia lillness
• Steroid use
• Trauma
• Viral illness