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 gonococcal infection. The most accurate code depends on whether the documented gonococcal disease involves the lower or upper genitourinary tract, eye, musculoskeletal tissue, anus or rectum, heart, bloodstream, or another specified site.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents gonococcal infection 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
- Primary-care, urgent-care, emergency, infectious-disease, sexual-health, and follow-up documentation where gonococcal infection affects diagnosis, treatment planning, or partner-management counseling.
- Coding and utilization-review workflows where the chart identifies the exact gonococcal disease site or a more invasive manifestation such as cardiac involvement or sepsis.
Common management context
- Gonococcal infection follow-up often includes symptom review, specimen testing context, antimicrobial treatment planning, partner-management counseling, and screening for coinfections or complications.
- Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart identifies the exact anatomic site, localized versus disseminated disease, abscess formation, ocular or musculoskeletal involvement, or systemic infection.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Infectious Disease Specialist, General Physician.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- This ICD-10 family captures gonococcal infection across multiple anatomic sites, and the documented site or invasive manifestation is what usually drives final code specificity.
- Localized genitourinary disease, ocular disease, musculoskeletal disease, anorectal disease, cardiac involvement, sepsis, and unspecified gonococcal infection are coded separately from one another when the chart names the manifestation more clearly.
- Documentation that describes gonococcal infection is coded differently from chlamydial infection, nongonococcal urethritis, or other sexually transmitted infections when the organism or site is documented more clearly.
Related codes to consider
A54.1Gonococcal infection of lower genitourinary tract with periurethral and accessory gland abscess
Related gonococcal ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies lower-genitourinary, ocular, musculoskeletal, anorectal, cardiac, septic, or other disseminated involvement.
A54.5Gonococcal pharyngitis
Related gonococcal ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies lower-genitourinary, ocular, musculoskeletal, anorectal, cardiac, septic, or other disseminated involvement.
A54.6Gonococcal infection of anus and rectum
Related gonococcal ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies lower-genitourinary, ocular, musculoskeletal, anorectal, cardiac, septic, or other disseminated involvement.
A54.9Gonococcal infection, unspecified
Related gonococcal ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies lower-genitourinary, ocular, musculoskeletal, anorectal, cardiac, septic, or other disseminated involvement.
Code hierarchy
chapter
1Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
block
A50-A64Infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission
currentA50-A64
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
A50Congenital syphilisA51Early syphilisA52Late syphilisA53Other and unspecified syphilisA55Chlamydial lymphogranuloma (venereum)billableA56Other sexually transmitted chlamydial diseasesA57ChancroidbillableA58Granuloma inguinalebillableA59TrichomoniasisA60Anogenital herpesviral [herpes simplex] infectionsA63Other predominantly sexually transmitted diseases, not elsewhere classifiedA64Unspecified sexually transmitted diseasebillable
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
A54
Replacement codes
A54.1 — Gonococcal infection of lower genitourinary tract with periurethral and accessory gland abscessA54.5 — Gonococcal pharyngitisA54.6 — Gonococcal infection of anus and rectumA54.9 — Gonococcal infection, unspecified
Common synonyms
Gonococcal infection
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.