2023 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A20.9

Plague, unspecified

    2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Billable/Specific Code
  • A20.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
  • The 2023 edition of ICD-10-CM A20.9 became effective on October 1, 2022.
  • This is the American ICD-10-CM version of A20.9 - other international versions of ICD-10 A20.9 may differ.
The following code(s) above A20.9 contain annotation back-references
Annotation Back-References
In this context, annotation back-references refer to codes that contain:
  • Applicable To annotations, or
  • Code Also annotations, or
  • Code First annotations, or
  • Excludes1 annotations, or
  • Excludes2 annotations, or
  • Includes annotations, or
  • Note annotations, or
  • Use Additional annotations
that may be applicable to A20.9:
  • A00-B99
    2023 ICD-10-CM Range A00-B99

    Certain infectious and parasitic diseases

    Includes
    • diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible
    Type 1 Excludes
    • certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
    Type 2 Excludes
    • carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
    • infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
    • infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
    • influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
    Use Additional
    • code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
    Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
  • A20
    ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A20

    Plague

      2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Non-Billable/Non-Specific Code
    Includes
    • infection due to Yersinia pestis
    Plague
Approximate Synonyms
  • Plague
Clinical Information
  • A gram-negative bacterial infection caused by yersinia pestis. It is usually transmitted to humans from bites of infected rodent fleas. It is manifested as a bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic plague. In bubonic plague, the lymph nodes adjacent to the site of the skin bite are infected and enlarged. In septicemic plague, the infection spreads directly through the bloodstream. In pneumonic plague, the infection spreads to the lungs either following bubonic plague, or by inhalation of infective droplets. If untreated, it may lead to death.
  • Acute infectious disease caused by yersinia pestis that affects humans, wild rodents, and their ectoparasites; bubonic plague is the most common form.
  • An acute infectious disease caused by yersinia pestis that affects humans, wild rodents, and their ectoparasites. This condition persists due to its firm entrenchment in sylvatic rodent-flea ecosystems throughout the world. Bubonic plague is the most common form.
  • An infectious disease
  • Plague is an infection caused by the bacterium yersinia pestis. The bacteria are found mainly in rats and in the fleas that feed on them. People and other animals can get plague from rat or flea bites. Historically, plague destroyed entire civilizations. In the 1300s, the "black death," as it was called, killed approximately one-third of europe's population. Today plague is uncommon. This is largely due to better living conditions and antibiotics. There are three forms of plague:
    • bubonic, which causes the tonsils, adenoids, spleen and thymus to become inflamed. Symptoms include fever, aches, chills and tender lymph glands
    • septicemic, in which bacteria multiply in the blood. It causes fever, chills, shock and bleeding under the skin or other organs
    • pneumonic, in which the bacteria enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. People with the infection can spread this form to others. This type could be a bioterror agent
    treatment for plague is a strong antibiotic. There is no vaccine for plague.
ICD-10-CM A20.9 is grouped within Diagnostic Related Group(s) (MS-DRG v40.0):
  • 867 Other infectious and parasitic diseases diagnoses with mcc
  • 868 Other infectious and parasitic diseases diagnoses with cc
  • 869 Other infectious and parasitic diseases diagnoses without cc/mcc

Convert A20.9 to ICD-9-CM

Code History
  • 2016 (effective 10/1/2015): New code (first year of non-draft ICD-10-CM)
  • 2017 (effective 10/1/2016): No change
  • 2018 (effective 10/1/2017): No change
  • 2019 (effective 10/1/2018): No change
  • 2020 (effective 10/1/2019): No change
  • 2021 (effective 10/1/2020): No change
  • 2022 (effective 10/1/2021): No change
  • 2023 (effective 10/1/2022): No change

Diagnosis Index entries containing back-references to A20.9:

ICD-10-CM Codes Adjacent To A20.9
A19.2 Acute miliary tuberculosis, unspecified
A19.8 Other miliary tuberculosis
A19.9 Miliary tuberculosis, unspecified
A20 Plague
A20.0 Bubonic plague
A20.1 Cellulocutaneous plague
A20.2 Pneumonic plague
A20.3 Plague meningitis
A20.7 Septicemic plague
A20.8 Other forms of plague
A20.9 Plague, unspecified
A21 Tularemia
A21.0 Ulceroglandular tularemia
A21.1 Oculoglandular tularemia
A21.2 Pulmonary tularemia
A21.3 Gastrointestinal tularemia
A21.7 Generalized tularemia
A21.8 Other forms of tularemia
A21.9 Tularemia, unspecified
A22 Anthrax
A22.0 Cutaneous anthrax

Reimbursement claims with a date of service on or after October 1, 2015 require the use of ICD-10-CM codes.