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2025 ICD-10-CM code A20.9

Plague, unspecified.

Use additional code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-).

Medical necessity is established by the presence of signs and symptoms consistent with plague and confirmed by laboratory testing for Y. pestis.

A patient with plague experiences flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. In severe cases, the patient may become extremely weak, go into shock, and even die. Laboratory tests of blood, sputum, and pus from an infected lymph node (bubo) or lymph node tissue can detect the Yersinia pestis bacterium. Specific antibody tests for Y. pestis may also be performed. Treatment includes rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and antibiotics.Respiratory support and hospitalization may be required for complications. Vaccination is available for healthcare workers and people who live or work in endemic areas but is not recommended for the general population.

In simple words: Plague is a serious bacterial infection spread by fleas, contaminated fluids, or the air. This code is for when the doctor doesn't know what kind of plague it is.

Plague is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.It's typically acquired through the bite of infected fleas, contact with contaminated fluid or tissue, or inhaling airborne infectious droplets. This code is used when the specific type of plague is not documented.

Example 1: A patient presents with fever, chills, headache, and swollen lymph nodes.Lab tests confirm Yersinia pestis infection, but the specific type of plague is not determined. A20.9 is used., A patient with suspected plague is admitted to the hospital with severe weakness and shock.Initial diagnostic tests are inconclusive for the type of plague. A20.9 is used until further testing confirms the diagnosis., A person living in a plague-endemic area develops flu-like symptoms.Due to the high prevalence of plague in the region, A20.9 is used as a presumptive diagnosis pending lab confirmation.

Documentation should include signs and symptoms, lab results confirming Y. pestis, and any related complications. If the type of plague (bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic) is determined later, the code should be updated accordingly.

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