2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A81.81Kuru

ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A80-A89›A81

ICD-10-CM A81.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

A81.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for kuru. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Coders also document this condition as dementia due to kuru. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified CNS infection and poliomyelitis and Viral infection.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
A81.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Kuru
Short Description
Kuru
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
A81.8
Other atypical virus infections of central nervous system

Code Classification

ChapterA00–B99Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
SectionA80-A89Viral and prion infections of the central nervous system
CategoryA81Atypical virus infections of central nervous system
This CodeA81.81Kuru

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Dementia due to kuru
  • Dementia due to prion disease
  • Kuru
  • Spongiform encephalopathy

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Disease, diseased
      • kuru
    • Kuru

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR NVS003
Other specified CNS infection and poliomyelitis
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes
CCSR INF008
Viral infection
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Kuru

    a prion disease found exclusively among the fore linguistic group natives of the highlands of new guinea. the illness is primarily restricted to adult females and children of both sexes. it is marked by the subacute onset of tremor and ataxia followed by motor weakness and incontinence. death occurs within 3-6 months of disease onset. the condition is associated with ritual cannibalism, and has become rare since this practice has been discontinued. pathologic features include a noninflammatory loss of neurons that is most prominent in the cerebellum, glial proliferation, and amyloid plaques. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p773)

  • New Guinea

    originally an island of the malay archipelago, the second largest island in the world. it divided, west new guinea becoming part of indonesia and east new guinea becoming papua new guinea.

  • Spongiform Encephalopathy

    encephalopathy that is characterized by tiny holes apparent by microscopy, often due to prion disease.

  • Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Statement|TSE Statement|TSE Stmt

    a declaration that proper measures have been taken to ensure that the risk for spreading transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (tse) through the use of the investigational product (ip) has been minimized, which may include being manufactured with materials of a non-animal origin.

  • Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy|Prion Disease|Prion Disease|Spongiform Encephalopathy|Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy(TSE)

    a transmissible, infectious disease that is caused by a protein that is able to induce abnormal folding of normal cellular proteins, leading to characteristic spongiform brain changes, which are associated with neuronal loss without an inflammatory response. such disorders have typically long incubation periods, but are then generally rapidly progressive and are uniformly fatal.

Patient EducationClinical

Degenerative Nerve Diseases

Degenerative nerve diseases affect many of your body's activities, such as balance, movement, talking, breathing, and heart function. Many of these diseases are genetic. Sometimes the cause is a medical condition such as alcoholism, a tumor, or a stroke. Other causes may include toxins, chemicals, and viruses.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert A81.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
046.0 Kuru
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About A81.81Overview

Is A81.81 (Other atypical virus infections of central nervous system) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report kuru on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of A81.81?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, kuru converts to ICD-9-CM 046.0 (kuru). The mapping is a direct match.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.