ICD-10-CM Code For Meningococcal Infection: Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group A39 includes invasive meningococcal infections such as meningococcemia, meningococcal meningitis, and other specified meningococcal infections affecting the bloodstream and central nervous system. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document acute bacterial infection with Neisseria meningitidis, capturing disease severity, organ involvement, and clinical complexity relevant to management and outcomes. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM A39 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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ICD-10-CM A39: Meningococcal Infection Overview

The ICD-10-CM A39 group covers meningococcal infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis affecting the bloodstream, meninges, and other sites. These diagnoses target invasive bacterial disease that can lead to sepsis, meningitis, and focal complications. Accurate coding matters for clinical communication and reimbursement because it captures disease severity and resource use.

When to Use

Use a code from this group when documentation supports a diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease, including laboratory confirmation or clear clinical diagnosis of meningitis or bloodstream infection due to Neisseria meningitidis. Select the specific code that reflects the anatomic site and any associated complications to ensure accurate representation of clinical complexity.

ICD-10-CM Codes

15 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
A39.0	Meningococcal meningitis
A39.1	Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
A39.2	Acute meningococcemia
A39.3	Chronic meningococcemia
A39.4	Meningococcemia, unspecified
A39.50	Meningococcal carditis, unspecified
A39.51	Meningococcal endocarditis
A39.52	Meningococcal myocarditis
A39.53	Meningococcal pericarditis
A39.81	Meningococcal encephalitis
A39.82	Meningococcal retrobulbar neuritis
A39.83	Meningococcal arthritis
A39.84	Postmeningococcal arthritis
A39.89	Other meningococcal infections
A39.9	Meningococcal infection, unspecified

DRG Codes

20 rows

DRG Code	Description
023	Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex CNS Principal Diagnosis with MCC or Antineoplastic Implant or Epilepsy with Neurostimulator
024	Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex CNS Principal Diagnosis without MCC
094	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System with MCC
095	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System with CC
096	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System without CC/MCC
123	Neurological Eye Disorders
288	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis with MCC
289	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis with CC
290	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis without CC/MCC
314	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC
315	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with CC
316	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses without CC/MCC
548	Septic Arthritis with MCC
549	Septic Arthritis with CC
550	Septic Arthritis without CC/MCC
791	Prematurity with Major Problems
793	Full Term Neonate with Major Problems
870	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours
871	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC
872	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adolescent or young adult presents to the emergency department with sudden high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, photophobia, and purpuric petechial rash progressing rapidly over hours; lumbar puncture shows neutrophilic pleocytosis and gram-negative diplococci consistent with meningococcal meningitis, prompting urgent initiation of empiric IV antibiotics and public health notification. A diagnosis from this group is assigned to indicate invasive meningococcal meningitis. Typical codes: A39.0, A39.2
An infant is brought to urgent care with acute onset of fever, lethargy, hypotension, and signs of septic shock after a brief prodrome; blood cultures grow Neisseria meningitidis and the clinical course includes multi-organ dysfunction requiring ICU support. A code from this group is used to denote meningococcal septicemia as the primary infectious cause of the systemic illness. Typical codes: A39.2, A39.4
An adult previously treated for meningococcal infection returns for evaluation of a localized meningococcal complication such as septic arthritis of the knee or purpura fulminans with skin necrosis following initial bloodstream infection; the visit documents late sequelae and ongoing wound care or orthopedic management. A code from this group is assigned to capture the antecedent meningococcal infection or its specific localized manifestation. Typical codes: A39.51, A39.84

Related Codes

A30-LEPROSY-HANSEN-S-DISEASE

ICD-10-CM Code For Leprosy Hansen's Disease: Group Overview

A31-INFECTION-DUE-TO-OTHER-MYCOBACTERIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Infection Due To Other Mycobacteria: Group Overview

A32-LISTERIOSIS

ICD-10-CM Code For Listeriosis: Group Overview

A33-TETANUS-NEONATORUM

ICD-10-CM Code For Tetanus Neonatorum: Group Overview

A34-OBSTETRICAL-TETANUS

ICD-10-CM Code For Obstetrical Tetanus: Group Overview

A35-OTHER-TETANUS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Tetanus: Group Overview

A36-DIPHTHERIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Diphtheria: Group Overview

A37-WHOOPING-COUGH

ICD-10-CM Code For Whooping Cough: Group Overview

A38-SCARLET-FEVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Scarlet Fever: Group Overview

A41-OTHER-SEPSIS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Sepsis: Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 16

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

15 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
A39.0	Meningococcal meningitis
A39.1	Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
A39.2	Acute meningococcemia
A39.3	Chronic meningococcemia
A39.4	Meningococcemia, unspecified
A39.50	Meningococcal carditis, unspecified
A39.51	Meningococcal endocarditis
A39.52	Meningococcal myocarditis
A39.53	Meningococcal pericarditis
A39.81	Meningococcal encephalitis
A39.82	Meningococcal retrobulbar neuritis
A39.83	Meningococcal arthritis
A39.84	Postmeningococcal arthritis
A39.89	Other meningococcal infections
A39.9	Meningococcal infection, unspecified

DRG Codes

20 rows

DRG Code	Description
023	Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex CNS Principal Diagnosis with MCC or Antineoplastic Implant or Epilepsy with Neurostimulator
024	Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex CNS Principal Diagnosis without MCC
094	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System with MCC
095	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System with CC
096	Bacterial and Tuberculous Infections of Nervous System without CC/MCC
123	Neurological Eye Disorders
288	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis with MCC
289	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis with CC
290	Acute and Subacute Endocarditis without CC/MCC
314	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC
315	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with CC
316	Other Circulatory System Diagnoses without CC/MCC
548	Septic Arthritis with MCC
549	Septic Arthritis with CC
550	Septic Arthritis without CC/MCC
791	Prematurity with Major Problems
793	Full Term Neonate with Major Problems
870	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours
871	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC
872	Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adolescent or young adult presents to the emergency department with sudden high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, photophobia, and purpuric petechial rash progressing rapidly over hours; lumbar puncture shows neutrophilic pleocytosis and gram-negative diplococci consistent with meningococcal meningitis, prompting urgent initiation of empiric IV antibiotics and public health notification. A diagnosis from this group is assigned to indicate invasive meningococcal meningitis. Typical codes: A39.0, A39.2
An infant is brought to urgent care with acute onset of fever, lethargy, hypotension, and signs of septic shock after a brief prodrome; blood cultures grow Neisseria meningitidis and the clinical course includes multi-organ dysfunction requiring ICU support. A code from this group is used to denote meningococcal septicemia as the primary infectious cause of the systemic illness. Typical codes: A39.2, A39.4
An adult previously treated for meningococcal infection returns for evaluation of a localized meningococcal complication such as septic arthritis of the knee or purpura fulminans with skin necrosis following initial bloodstream infection; the visit documents late sequelae and ongoing wound care or orthopedic management. A code from this group is assigned to capture the antecedent meningococcal infection or its specific localized manifestation. Typical codes: A39.51, A39.84

Related Codes

A30-LEPROSY-HANSEN-S-DISEASE

ICD-10-CM Code For Leprosy Hansen's Disease: Group Overview

A31-INFECTION-DUE-TO-OTHER-MYCOBACTERIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Infection Due To Other Mycobacteria: Group Overview

A32-LISTERIOSIS

ICD-10-CM Code For Listeriosis: Group Overview

A33-TETANUS-NEONATORUM

ICD-10-CM Code For Tetanus Neonatorum: Group Overview

A34-OBSTETRICAL-TETANUS

ICD-10-CM Code For Obstetrical Tetanus: Group Overview

A35-OTHER-TETANUS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Tetanus: Group Overview

A36-DIPHTHERIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Diphtheria: Group Overview

A37-WHOOPING-COUGH

ICD-10-CM Code For Whooping Cough: Group Overview

A38-SCARLET-FEVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Scarlet Fever: Group Overview

A41-OTHER-SEPSIS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Sepsis: Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 16

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-CM Code For Meningococcal Infection: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Meningococcal Infection: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM A39: Meningococcal Infection Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Meningococcal Infection: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Meningococcal Infection: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM A39: Meningococcal Infection Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-CM codes identify meningococcal meningitis and meningococcemia?

How does coding within the `A39` group affect reimbursement and claims adjudication?

Which `A39` codes cover cardiac complications of meningococcal infection?

What codes represent other neurologic or musculoskeletal manifestations in the `A39` group?

Which codes are used when the meningococcal infection site or type is unspecified?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-CM codes identify meningococcal meningitis and meningococcemia?

How does coding within the `A39` group affect reimbursement and claims adjudication?

Which `A39` codes cover cardiac complications of meningococcal infection?

What codes represent other neurologic or musculoskeletal manifestations in the `A39` group?

Which codes are used when the meningococcal infection site or type is unspecified?

References