2025 ICD-10-CM code A79.9
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Infectious and parasitic diseases - Rickettsioses Certain infectious and parasitic diseases Feed
Rickettsiosis, unspecified. Rickettsial infection NOS.
Medical necessity for the evaluation and treatment of rickettsiosis is established by the signs, symptoms, and history provided by the patient, indicating a likely infection. This can be further supported by positive laboratory findings.
Clinicians diagnose rickettsiosis based on symptoms, history of exposure to tick/mite bites, and physical exam. Lab tests like immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can confirm the diagnosis. Treatment typically involves antibiotics such as doxycycline. Patient education focuses on preventing tick/mite bites and proper tick removal techniques.
In simple words: This code indicates a general type of infection spread by ticks, mites, or fleas, called rickettsiosis. The exact type isn't known.Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, and rash.
This code represents a diagnosis of rickettsiosis where the specific type is not documented or unknown.Rickettsioses are a group of infectious diseases caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia, typically transmitted through bites of infected ticks, mites, and fleas. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches (myalgias), rash, and sometimes a black scab or eschar (dead tissue) at the bite site.
Example 1: A patient presents with fever, headache, myalgia, and a characteristic rash after a recent camping trip.The clinician suspects rickettsiosis but further testing is pending. A79.9 is used until a definitive diagnosis is made., A patient with a history of tick bite develops fever and a generalized rash.Laboratory tests are inconclusive for specific rickettsial species.A79.9 is assigned due to the nonspecific nature of the findings., A patient presents with symptoms suggestive of rickettsiosis, but refuses further testing to confirm the specific type. The physician documents the diagnosis as rickettsiosis, unspecified, and uses code A79.9.
Documentation should include signs and symptoms (fever, headache, rash, myalgia, eschar), history of tick/mite exposure, and results of any laboratory tests (e.g., IFA, PCR).If a specific type of rickettsiosis is identified through testing, the appropriate code for that condition should be used instead of A79.9.
- Specialties:Infectious disease, internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine.
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital, Urgent Care Facility