What is this code?
ICD-10 entries help standardize how diagnoses are organized for coding, reporting, analytics, and documentation. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).
đź“‹Clinical overview
This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes sepsis or a sepsis-related infectious syndrome. The most accurate code depends on the documented organism, whether severe sepsis or shock is present, and how specific the clinical record is.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents streptococcal sepsis in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code may act more like a grouping or parent code, so a more specific child code may be used in final documentation when available.
What it does not mean
- A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
- A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.
- This entry may represent a broader category rather than the most specific billable code.
đź©şClinical context
When commonly used
- Emergency, inpatient, and critical-care documentation where a systemic infection or sepsis syndrome is part of the active encounter.
- Hospital coding, utilization review, and discharge summaries where infection severity and causative-organism detail affect the final diagnosis code.
Common management context
- Sepsis workup and management often involve urgent laboratory review, cultures, fluid resuscitation context, antimicrobial treatment, and close monitoring.
- Documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the organism, source of infection, organ dysfunction, or septic shock.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Infectious Disease Specialist, General Physician.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- ICD-10 sepsis coding usually becomes more specific when the record identifies a causative organism or documents severe sepsis, septic shock, or organ dysfunction.
- Related infection-source codes may also matter when the chart separately documents the originating infection site or associated complications.
Important exclusions
- neonatal (P36.0-P36.1)
- puerperal sepsis (O85)
- sepsis due to Streptococcus, group D (A41.81)
Related codes to consider
A40.0Sepsis due to streptococcus, group A
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.1Sepsis due to streptococcus, group B
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.3Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.8Other streptococcal sepsis
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
Code hierarchy
chapter
1Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
block
A30-A49Other bacterial diseases
currentA30-A49
Official coding notes
Applicable to
- , if applicable, postprocedural sepsis (T81.44-)
- sepsis due to central venous catheter (T80.211-)
- streptococcal sepsis during labor (O75.3)
- streptococcal sepsis following abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O03.37, O03.87, O04.87, O07.37, O08.82)
- streptococcal sepsis following immunization (T88.0-)
- streptococcal sepsis following infusion, transfusion or therapeutic injection (T80.22-, T80.29-)
Excludes1 (do not code together)
- neonatal (P36.0-P36.1)
- puerperal sepsis (O85)
- sepsis due to Streptococcus, group D (A41.81)
Code first
- , if applicable, postprocedural sepsis (T81.44-)
- sepsis due to central venous catheter (T80.211-)
- streptococcal sepsis during labor (O75.3)
- streptococcal sepsis following abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O03.37, O03.87, O04.87, O07.37, O08.82)
- streptococcal sepsis following immunization (T88.0-)
- streptococcal sepsis following infusion, transfusion or therapeutic injection (T80.22-, T80.29-)
Where you may see this code
You may see this entry in coding references, medical records, or claims workflows when a broader diagnosis category is being reviewed before a more specific code is chosen.
Related specialists
Infectious Disease SpecialistGeneral Physician
Related codes
Sibling codes
A30Leprosy [Hansen's disease]A31Infection due to other mycobacteriaA32ListeriosisA33Tetanus neonatorumbillableA34Obstetrical tetanusbillableA35Other tetanusbillableA36DiphtheriaA37Whooping coughA38Scarlet feverA39Meningococcal infectionA41Other sepsisA42ActinomycosisA43NocardiosisA44BartonellosisA46ErysipelasbillableA48Other bacterial diseases, not elsewhere classifiedA49Bacterial infection of unspecified site
Coding guidelines
Compatibility
Legacy code aligns to an official FY 2026 category. Frontend should resolve to the official category page and surface the billable child codes.
Legacy codes
A40
Replacement codes
A40.0 — Sepsis due to streptococcus, group AA40.1 — Sepsis due to streptococcus, group BA40.3 — Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniaeA40.8 — Other streptococcal sepsisA40.9 — Streptococcal sepsis, unspecified
Common synonyms
Streptococcal sepsis
Frequently asked questions
About this content
This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.