2025 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A77

Specific Coding Applicable to Spotted fever [tick-borne rickettsioses]

Non-specific codes like A77 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 spotted fever [tick-borne rickettsioses]:

Patient Education

Bacterial Infections

What are bacteria?

Bacteria are tiny organisms (living things) that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods, or spirals. They can be found almost everywhere on Earth. There are lots of bacteria in and on your body. In fact, your body has about 10 times more bacteria cells than human cells.

There are many different types of bacteria. Most types don't make you sick. Some types are helpful. For example, "good" bacteria in your digestive system can help your body digest food and absorb vitamins and minerals. They can help protect you from getting sick. Bacteria are also used in making foods like yogurt and cheese.

But some types of bacteria can cause an infection and make you sick. They are called infectious bacteria. These bacteria can reproduce quickly in your body. Many of them give off toxins (poisons) that can damage your cells and make you sick. Other types can move into and damage your tissues. A few examples of bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli.

How do bacterial infections spread?

There are different ways that bacterial infections may spread:

• Through droplets and particles that are breathed out by someone who has the infection. You might breathe in the droplets or particles, or they could land on your mouth, nose, or eyes.
• By touching surfaces or objects that have the bacteria on them and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
• Through cuts, scrapes, and skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the infection.
• From the pregnant parent to the baby during pregnancy.
• Through contaminated food or water.
• By being bitten by an infected insect or animal.
• Through sexual contact (usually vaginal, anal and oral sex) with someone who has the infection.

What are the treatments for bacterial infections?

Sometimes your immune system may be able to fight off a bacterial infection. But when you do need treatment, it will be with antibiotics.

When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. Each time you take them, there is a risk that the bacteria will become resistant to the effects of the antibiotics. This is called antibiotic resistance. When this happens, the bacteria are not killed, and they continue to grow. They can cause resistant infections, which can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.

Can bacterial infections be prevented?

You can help prevent some bacterial infections by:

• Getting vaccines that protect against bacterial infections.
• Having good hygiene habits. These include washing your hands often and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• Paying attention to food safety.
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that your frequently touch.
• Preventing insect bites by using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent. when you go outdoors. If you travel to an area that has a high risk of diseases from insect bites, also wear long pants, shirts, and socks.
• Practicing safe sex. This means using a latex condom every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

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Tick Bites

What are ticks?

Ticks are small parasites. They may look like insects, but they have eight legs and are related to spiders. Ticks feed on the blood of people and warm-blooded animals. There are many types of ticks in the United States, and they live in different parts of the country.

Ticks can be different colors and sizes. They can be light-colored, reddish brown, or dark brown. Some ticks are so small that they can be difficult to see. Ticks may get on you if you walk though areas where they live, such as tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs.

Why do I need to be worried about tick bites?

If you spend time outdoors or have pets that go outdoors, you need to beware of ticks. When they bite, certain types of ticks can pass on germs that cause different diseases. Sometimes the symptoms can be mild. In other cases, you can have serious, long-lasting health problems. Some of the diseases you can get from a tick bite (called tickborne diseases) include:

• Lyme disease
• Alpha-gal syndrome (tick bite red meat allergy)
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Tularemia

What happens if I get bitten by a tick?

You may not feel it when a tick bites you. The tick can stay attached to your body for several days. If that tick is infected, it can pass along any germs to you once it starts sucking your blood. But if you catch it and remove it before it has filled up on your blood, you are less likely to get infected.

How do I remove a tick?

If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove the tick as soon as you can. You could use a tick removal device or a fine-tipped tweezers:

• Using the tweezers, grab the tick as close to your skin as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick. You want to remove the whole tick in one piece if you can. If the mouth-parts of the tick break off and stay in the skin, try to remove them. But if you can't remove them easily, then leave them.
• Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

When do I need to contact my health care provider about a tick bite?

Many tickborne diseases can have similar signs and symptoms. The most common are:

• Fever
• Chills
• Aches and pains
• Rash

If you develop any of these symptoms within several weeks of removing a tick, contact your provider.

How can I prevent tick bites?

There are steps you can take to prevent tick bites:

• Avoid wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, especially during warmer months.
• Wear insect repellent with DEET, picaridin or another U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent.
• Wear light-colored protective clothing.
• Treat your clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
• Tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
• Remove your clothing after being outdoors. Check your clothing for ticks and remove any ticks that you find. Wash and dry your clothes at high temperatures.
• Check yourself, your children, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks you find.

[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.