[Hemorrhagic skin lesions associated with infections]

A broad spectrum of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections is associated with hemorrhagic skin lesions, typically petechiae. The most prominent underlying entity is fulminant bacterial sepsis, which requires urgent and intensive treatment. In most cases, however, a self-limiting viral disease is the underlying cause. Thus, the pediatrician frequently encounters a diagnostic dilemma between timely diagnosis of sepsis and unnecessary invasive diagnostics. This article reviews the broad differential diagnosis and pathophysiology of infection-associated hemorrhagic skin lesions and proposes a diagnostic algorithm for the combination of fever and petechiae.