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  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code M00.0
Version 2024
Non-Billable Code

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M00.0

Staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis

ICD-10-CM Code:
M00.0
ICD-10 Code for:
Staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
    (M00–M99)
    • Infectious arthropathies
      (M00-M02)
      • Pyogenic arthritis
        (M00)

M00.0 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis

Non-specific codes like M00.0 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis:

  • Use M00.00 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified joint - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.01 for Staphylococcal arthritis, shoulder - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.011 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.012 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.019 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.02 for Staphylococcal arthritis, elbow - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.021 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right elbow - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.022 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left elbow - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.029 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified elbow - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.03 for Staphylococcal arthritis, wrist - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.031 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right wrist - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.032 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left wrist - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.039 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified wrist - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.04 for Staphylococcal arthritis, hand - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.041 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right hand - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.042 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left hand - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.049 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified hand - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.05 for Staphylococcal arthritis, hip - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.051 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.052 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.059 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.06 for Staphylococcal arthritis, knee - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.061 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right knee - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.062 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left knee - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.069 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified knee - BILLABLE CODE

  • M00.07 for Staphylococcal arthritis, ankle and foot - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.071 for Staphylococcal arthritis, right ankle and foot - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.072 for Staphylococcal arthritis, left ankle and foot - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.079 for Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified ankle and foot - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.08 for Staphylococcal arthritis, vertebrae - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use M00.09 for Staphylococcal polyarthritis - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Use Additional Code

Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.

Patient Education


Infectious Arthritis

Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Infectious arthritis is an infection in the joint. The infection comes from a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection that spreads from another part of the body. Symptoms of infectious arthritis include:

  • Intense pain in the joint
  • Joint redness and swelling
  • Chills and fever
  • Inability to move the area with the infected joint

One type of infectious arthritis is reactive arthritis. The reaction is to an infection somewhere else in your body. The joint is usually the knee, ankle, or toe. Sometimes, reactive arthritis is set off by an infection in the bladder, or in the urethra, which carries urine out of the body. In women, an infection in the vagina can cause the reaction. For both men and women, it can start with bacteria passed on during sex. Another form of reactive arthritis starts with eating food or handling something that has bacteria on it.

To diagnose infectious arthritis, your health care provider may do tests of your blood, urine, and joint fluid. Treatment includes medicines and sometimes surgery.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Staphylococcal Infections

What are Staphylococcal (staph) infections?

Staphylococcus (staph) is a group of bacteria. There are more than 30 types. A type called Staphylococcus aureus causes most infections.

Staph bacteria can cause many different types of infections, including:

  • Skin infections, which are the most common types of staph infections.
  • Bacteremia, an infection of the bloodstream. This can lead to sepsis, a very serious immune response to infection.
  • Bone infections.
  • Endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.
  • Food poisoning.
  • Pneumonia.
  • Toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a life-threatening condition caused by toxins from certain types of bacteria.

What causes staph infections?

Some people carry staph bacteria on their skin or in their noses, but they do not get an infection. But if they get a cut or wound, the bacteria can enter the body and cause an infection.

Staph bacteria can spread from person to person. They can also spread on objects, such as towels, clothing, door handles, athletic equipment, and remotes. If you have staph and do not handle food properly when you are preparing it, you can also spread staph to others.

Who is more likely to get a staph infection?

Anyone can develop a staph infection, but certain people are more likely to get one, including those who:

  • Have a chronic condition such as diabetes, cancer, vascular disease, eczema, and lung disease
  • Have a weakened immune system, such as from HIV, medicines to prevent organ rejection, or chemotherapy
  • Had surgery
  • Are in the hospital
  • Use a catheter, breathing tube, or feeding tube
  • Have an implanted device, such as a pacemaker or artificial joint or heart valve
  • Have burns, especially if they are deep or cover a large area of the body
  • Are on dialysis
  • Inject illegal drugs
  • Do contact sports, since you may have skin-to-skin contact with others or share equipment

What are the symptoms of staph infections?

The symptoms of a staph infection depend on the type of infection:

  • Skin infections can look like pimples or boils. They may be red, swollen, and painful. Sometimes there is pus or other drainage. They can turn into impetigo, which turns into a crust on the skin, or cellulitis, a swollen, red area of skin that feels hot.
  • Bone infections can cause pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the infected area. You may also have chills and a fever.
  • Endocarditis causes some flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, and fatigue. It also causes symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup in your arms or legs.
  • Food poisoning typically causes nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. If you lose too many fluids, you may also become dehydrated.
  • Pneumonia symptoms include a high fever, chills, and cough that doesn't get better. You may also have chest pain and shortness of breath.
  • Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) causes high fever, sudden low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion. You may have a sunburn-like rash somewhere on your body. TSS can lead to organ failure.

How are staph infections diagnosed?

Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. Often, providers can tell if you have a staph skin infection by looking at it. To check for other types of staph infections, providers may do a culture, with a skin scraping, tissue sample, stool sample, or throat or nasal swabs. There may be other tests, such as imaging tests, depending on the type of infection.

What are the treatments for staph infections?

Treatment for staph infections is antibiotics. Depending on the type of infection, the antibiotics might be a cream, ointment, medicines (to swallow), or intravenous (IV) medicine. If you have an infected wound, your provider might drain it. Sometimes you may need surgery for bone infections.

Some staph infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), are resistant to many antibiotics. There are still certain antibiotics that can treat these infections.

Can staph infections be prevented?

Certain steps can help to prevent staph infections:

  • Use good hygiene, including washing your hands often.
  • Don't share towels, sheets, or clothing with someone who has a staph infection.
  • It's best not to share athletic equipment. If you do need to share, make sure that it is properly cleaned and dried before you use it.
  • Practice food safety, including not preparing food for others when you have a staph infection.
  • If you have a cut or wound, keep it covered.

[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.