2025 ICD-10-CM code A37.90
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Infectious and parasitic diseases - Other bacterial diseases Certain infectious and parasitic diseases Feed
Whooping cough, unspecified species without pneumonia.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of signs and symptoms consistent with whooping cough, along with confirmatory lab results. The documentation must support the need for treatment and any additional procedures or hospitalization.
Clinicians should diagnose based on symptoms (cough, difficulty breathing, "whooping" sound), history, and physical exam. Lab tests (blood and mucus cultures, PCR) can confirm the diagnosis. Further tests (bronchoscopy, chest X-ray, CT scan) might be necessary. Treatment involves antibiotics, and hospitalization may be required for severe cases.
In simple words: This code refers to whooping cough (pertussis) when the exact type of bacteria causing it is unknown and the patient doesn't have pneumonia. Whooping cough is a very contagious disease that makes it hard to breathe and causes a "whooping" sound when taking a breath after a coughing fit.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly infectious bacterial respiratory disease. It is characterized by "whooping" sounds during breathing after coughing fits. This code is used when the specific bacteria causing the infection is not identified and the patient does not have pneumonia.
Example 1: A 5-year-old child presents with severe coughing fits followed by a "whooping" sound during inhalation. Lab tests confirm whooping cough, but the specific bacteria is not identified. The child does not have pneumonia., An unvaccinated adult experiences persistent coughing, followed by vomiting and exhaustion. After testing positive for whooping cough with an unspecified bacterial cause and no pneumonia, the patient is prescribed antibiotics and advised to isolate to prevent transmission., An infant presents with apnea and a characteristic "whooping" cough.Tests confirm whooping cough, but the specific bacteria is not identified. There are no signs of pneumonia, and the infant requires hospitalization for respiratory support.
Documentation should include symptoms (cough, difficulty breathing, whooping sound, apnea, vomiting, fatigue), history of exposure, physical exam findings, lab results (culture, PCR), and treatment plan (antibiotics, oxygen therapy). Any additional procedures performed (bronchoscopy, chest X-ray, CT scan) must also be documented.
- Specialties:Infectious Disease, Pediatrics, Pulmonology, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital,Emergency Room - Hospital,Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home, Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home