2021 ICD-10-CM Code A49.02
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site
Valid for Submission
A49.02 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site. The code A49.02 is valid during the fiscal year 2021 from October 01, 2020 through September 30, 2021 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions.
The ICD-10-CM code A49.02 might also be used to specify conditions or terms like infection by methicillin resistant staphylococcus intermedius or infection by methicillin resistant staphylococcus pseudintermedius.
Unspecified diagnosis codes like A49.02 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.
| ICD-10: | A49.02 |
| Short Description: | Methicillin resis staph infection, unsp site |
| Long Description: | Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site |
Code Classification
Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries
The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10 codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more. The following references are applicable to the code A49.02:
Inclusion Terms
Inclusion TermsThese terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
- Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection
Index to Diseases and Injuries
The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10 code(s). The following references for the code A49.02 are found in the index:
Approximate Synonyms
The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:
- Infection by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus intermedius
- Infection by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Diagnostic Related Groups - MS-DRG Mapping
The ICD-10 code A49.02 is grouped in the following groups for version MS-DRG V38.0 What are Diagnostic Related Groups?
The Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) are a patient classification scheme which provides a means of relating the type of patients a hospital treats. The DRGs divides all possible principal diagnoses into mutually exclusive principal diagnosis areas referred to as Major Diagnostic Categories (MDC). applicable from 10/01/2020 through 09/30/2021.
Convert A49.02 to ICD-9 Code
The General Equivalency Mapping (GEM) crosswalk indicates an approximate mapping between the ICD-10 code A49.02 its ICD-9 equivalent. The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 code and the ICD-9 code and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.
- 041.12 - MRSA elsewhere/NOS (Approximate Flag)
Information for Patients
Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. Used properly, they can save lives. But there is a growing problem of antibiotic resistance. It happens when bacteria change and become able to resist the effects of an antibiotic.
Using antibiotics can lead to resistance. Each time you take antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed. But resistant germs may be left to grow and multiply. They can spread to other people. They can also cause infections that certain antibiotics cannot cure. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one example. It causes infections that are resistant to several common antibiotics.
To help prevent antibiotic resistance
- Don't use antibiotics for viruses like colds or flu. Antibiotics don't work on viruses.
- Don't pressure your doctor to give you an antibiotic.
- When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. Finish your medicine even if you feel better. If you stop treatment too soon, some bacteria may survive and re-infect you.
- Don't save antibiotics for later or use someone else's prescription.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Vancomycin resistant enterococci (Medical Encyclopedia)
[Learn More]
MRSA
Also called: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It causes a staph infection (pronounced "staff infection") that is resistant to several common antibiotics. There are two types of infection. Hospital-associated MRSA happens to people in health care settings. Community-associated MRSA happens to people who have close skin-to-skin contact with others, such as athletes involved in football and wrestling.
Infection control is key to stopping MRSA in hospitals. To prevent community-associated MRSA
- Practice good hygiene
- Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
- Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages
- Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, or clothes
- Wash soiled sheets, towels, and clothes in hot water with bleach and dry in a hot dryer
If a wound appears to be infected, see a health care provider. Treatments may include draining the infection and antibiotics.
NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- MRSA (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Staph infections - hospital (Medical Encyclopedia)
[Learn More]
Code History
- 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 (First year ICD-10-CM implemented into the HIPAA code set)