Purpura overview

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

Overview

Purpura (from the Latin, purpura, meaning "purple") is the appearance of red or purple discolorations on the skin, caused by bleeding underneath the skin. Small spots are called petechiae, while large spots are called ecchymoses.

This is common with typhus and can be present with meningitis caused by meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia.