ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A49.02 - Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site (original) (raw)
ICD List 2025-2026 Edition
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- 2026 ICD-10-CM Code A49.02
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site
ICD-10-CM Code:
A49.02
ICD-10 Code for:
Methicillin resis staph infection, unsp site
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:
A49.02 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Unspecified diagnosis codes like A49.02 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.
- Code Information
- Approximate Synonyms
- Clinical Classification
- Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries
- Index to Diseases and Injuries References
- Diagnostic Related Groups Mapping
- Convert to ICD-9 Code
- Patient Education
- Other Codes Used Similar Conditions
- Code History
- Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
A00–B99
The following list of clinical terms are approximate synonyms, alternative descriptions, or common phrases that might be used by patients, healthcare providers, or medical coders to describe the same condition. These synonyms and related diagnosis terms are often used when searching for an ICD-10 code, especially when the exact medical terminology is unclear. Whether you're looking for lay terms, similar diagnosis names, or common language alternatives, this list can help guide you to the correct ICD-10 classification.
- Infection by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus intermedius
- Infection by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Clinical Classifications group individual ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into broader, clinically meaningful categories. These categories help simplify complex data by organizing related conditions under common clinical themes.
They are especially useful for data analysis, reporting, and clinical decision-making. Even when diagnosis codes differ, similar conditions can be grouped together based on their clinical relevance. Each category is assigned a unique CCSR code that represents a specific clinical concept, often tied to a body system or medical specialty.
CCSR Code: INF003
Inpatient Default: Y - Yes, default inpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.
Outpatient Default: Y - Yes, default outpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.
The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).
- - Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) - B99.9
- - methicillin
* - resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - A49.02 - - staphylococcal, unspecified site
* - aureus (methicillin susceptible) (MSSA) - A49.01
* - methicillin resistant (MRSA) - A49.02
- - methicillin
- - MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
- - infection - A49.02
References found for this diagnosis code in the External Cause of Injuries Index:
- Infection, infected, infective(opportunistic)
- methicillin
- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- methicillin
- Infection, infected, infective(opportunistic)
- staphylococcal, unspecified site
- aureus (methicillin susceptible) (MSSA)
- methicillin resistant (MRSA)
- aureus (methicillin susceptible) (MSSA)
- staphylococcal, unspecified site
- MRSA(Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
- infection
Below are the ICD-9 codes that most closely match this ICD-10 code, based on the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs). This ICD-10 to ICD-9 crosswalk tool is helpful for coders who need to reference legacy diagnosis codes for audits, historical claims, or approximate code comparisons.
ICD-9-CM: 041.12
Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means this ICD-10 code does not have an exact ICD-9 equivalent. The matched code is the closest available option, but it may not fully capture the original diagnosis or clinical intent.
Antibiotic Resistance
What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are medicines that treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. They work by killing the bacteria or making it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply. When used properly, antibiotics can save lives. But there is a growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
What is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change and can resist the effects of an antibiotic. The bacteria are not killed, and they continue to grow. The infections these bacteria cause are called resistant infections. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. In some cases, they can even be deadly.
Antibiotic resistance does not mean that your body is resistant to antibiotics.
There are many different types of resistant infections. They include MRSA and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). If you get a resistant infection, you might need:
- A long hospital stay
- A long recovery
- Follow-up visits with health care providers
- Treatments that are expensive and may have severe side effects
Antibiotic resistance is one type of antimicrobial resistance. There are other types; viruses, fungi, and parasites can also become resistant to medicines.
How do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics?
Antibiotic resistance is a natural process that happens over time. To survive, bacteria can develop defense strategies against antibiotics. This happens through genetic changes in the bacteria. These resistant bacteria survive, grow, and spread.
Each time you take antibiotics, there is a risk that the bacteria will become resistant. So it is important to only take antibiotics when you really need them. They won't work on viral infections such as colds and the flu. And you don't need antibiotics for every bacterial infection. For example, you may not need them for some sinus and ear infections.
Who is more likely to develop an antibiotic-resistant infection?
Anyone can develop an antibiotic-resistant infection, but certain people may be at higher risk, including those who:
- Have a weakened immune system from diseases such as HIV or from taking medicines that affect the immune system
- Are getting medical care such as surgery and hospital stays
- Take antibiotics for a long time
- Are infants, especially if they were born prematurely
- Are older adults
How can antibiotic resistance be prevented?
There will always be some antibiotic resistance, since it happens naturally. But you can help fight against antibiotic resistance by taking these steps:
- Don't use antibiotics for viruses.
- Don't pressure your health care provider to give you an antibiotic if they don't think you need one.
- When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully.
- Don't share your antibiotics with others.
- Don't save antibiotics for later or use someone else's prescription.
- Help prevent the spread of bacterial infections with good hygiene habits. These include washing your hands often and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
MRSA
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It causes a staph infection (pronounced "staff infection") that is resistant to several common antibiotics. There are two types of infection. Hospital-associated MRSA happens to people in health care settings. Community-associated MRSA happens to people who have close skin-to-skin contact with others, such as athletes involved in football and wrestling.
Infection control is key to stopping MRSA in hospitals. To prevent community-associated MRSA:
- Practice good hygiene
- Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
- Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages
- Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, or clothes
- Wash soiled sheets, towels, and clothes in hot water with bleach and dry in a hot dryer
If a wound appears to be infected, see a health care provider. Treatments may include draining the infection and antibiotics.
FY 2026 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2025 through 9/30/2026
FY 2025 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2024 through 9/30/2025
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.
