2025 ICD-10-CM code A77.49
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Rickettsioses - Other ehrlichiosis Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99) Feed
This code represents other forms of ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne bacterial infection, not otherwise classified.
Medical necessity for treatment is established by the confirmed diagnosis of ehrlichiosis through laboratory testing and the presence of symptoms consistent with the disease.
Clinicians should diagnose ehrlichiosis based on patient history, physical examination, and laboratory testing (such as CBC, liver function tests, and antibody titers). Treatment often involves antibiotics like doxycycline, or rifampin for pregnant or breastfeeding patients.
In simple words: This code indicates a type of tick-borne infection called ehrlichiosis, specifically types that aren't covered by other, more specific codes. Ehrlichiosis can cause a range of symptoms, from mild to severe.
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne illness caused by bacteria of the Ehrlichia genus.This code, A77.49, is used for types of ehrlichiosis that are not specifically identified by other codes within the A77.4 range. This includes ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ewingii and Ehrlichia muris euclairensis.It is distinct from anaplasmosis (A79.82) and rickettsiosis due to Ehrlichia sennetsu (A79.81).
Example 1: A patient presents with fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue after a recent tick bite in an area known for ehrlichiosis.Laboratory tests confirm infection with Ehrlichia ewingii., A patient with a history of tick exposure develops fever, chills, and confusion. After ruling out other tick-borne illnesses, testing reveals infection with Ehrlichia muris euclairensis., A child develops fever and rash after a camping trip.Blood tests indicate ehrlichiosis, but the specific species isn't identified beyond it not being A. phagocytophilum or E. sennetsu.
Documentation should include details of the patient's symptoms, history of tick exposure, relevant laboratory findings (e.g., CBC, liver function tests, antibody tests, PCR), and the specific Ehrlichia species if identified.
- Specialties:Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital