Petechial rash
Type: Symptom
Definition
Tiny, distinct, non-blanching purple spots appearing rapidly on the skin surface.
Clinical Details
The bacteria release a highly potent endotoxin that aggressively damages the endothelial lining of small blood vessels throughout the body. This catastrophic vascular damage causes micro-hemorrhages to leak blood directly into the dermal layers, creating tiny purple bruises. Because the blood is outside the vessels, the spots do not fade when pressed with a glass.