Basics of Syphilis ICD-10 CM coding

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that’s treatable with medication. Without treatment, syphilis causes serious health problems

ICD-10 code A53. 9 for Syphilis, unspecified is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range – Certain infectious and parasitic diseases .

A53.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.

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Symptoms| Syphilis ICD-10 CM coding

• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Patchy hair loss
• Rash with rough, red, or reddish brown spots, commonly found on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
• Sore throat
• Swollen lymph glands
• Weight loss

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Documentation and Syphilis ICD-10 CM coding

The ICD-10-CM codes for syphilis are found in Chapter 1: Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. There are separate subcategories for congenital syphilis (A50.-), early syphilis (A51.-), late syphilis (A52-), and other and unspecified syphilis (A53.-). Each subcategory has additional fourth- and fifth-character options for added specificity.

The A51.- category has seven different fourth characters to specify the type and location of early syphilis. These include:

• A51.0, primary genital syphilis
• A51.1, primary anal syphilis
• A51.2, primary syphilis of other sites
• A51.3-, secondary syphilis of skin and mucous membranes
• A51.4-, other secondary syphilis
• A51.5, early syphilis, latent
• A51.9, early syphilis, unspecified

Fifth characters for subcategories A51.3- and A51.4- specify syphilitic conditions.

The A52 category also has seven subcategories, but these differ from those found for the codes in A51.-. The A52.- subcategories include:

• A52.0-, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular syphilis
• A52.1-, symptomatic neurosyphilis
• A52.2, asymptomatic neurosyphilis
• A52.3, neurosyphilis unspecified
• A52.7-, other symptomatic late syphilis
• A52.8, late syphilis, latent
• A52.9, late syphilis, unspecified

Fifth characters for subcategories A52.0-, A52.1- and A52.7- represent the specific organs, parts of organs, or body systems affected by the disease. Latent syphilis not specified as early or late falls in the A53.- category for other syphilis.

If a patient has been exposed to syphilis, but a definitive diagnosis has not been determined, coders may report Z20.2 for contact with and (suspected) exposure to infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission.

Related Synonyms

• Maternal syphilis complicating pregnancy, after childbirth
• Maternal syphilis during pregnancy – baby not yet delivered
• Postpartum syphilis
• Syphilis
• Syphilis in childbirth
• Syphilis in pregnancy

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