Bacterial infection of unspecified site (A49)

ICD-10 code section A49 covers bacterial infections of unspecified sites, providing a classification when the exact location of the infection is unknown. This section includes various codes for infections caused by different bacteria like Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma, and other less common bacterial agents.

These codes, such as A49.0 for staphylococcal infections or A49.1 for streptococcal infections at unspecified locations, are used when the infection is diagnosed but not clearly linked to a specific body site. Some subcodes specify resistant strains, for example, A49.02 identifies methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, commonly known as MRSA. The synonyms provided, like "Staphylococcal infectious disease" or "Pneumococcal infectious disease," help coders connect common infection names to the correct ICD-10 code. Additionally, A49.9 captures unspecified bacterial infections broadly, including terms like "bacterial respiratory infection" or "bacterial skin infection." When documentation lacks site detail yet identifies the bacterial cause, these codes are the appropriate choice for accurate medical coding and reporting.