Pneumonia due to staphylococcus, unspecified

This code signifies an acute inflammatory condition of the lung parenchyma, specifically pneumonia, caused by a staphylococcal bacterial infection. The "unspecified" nature indicates that the particular species of Staphylococcus (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) is not documented.

This code is appropriate when the medical record clearly states a diagnosis of pneumonia and identifies Staphylococcus as the causative organism, but does not specify the exact staphylococcal species. Documentation supporting its use would include physician notes indicating "staphylococcal pneumonia" without further detail, or positive microbiology cultures identifying "Staphylococcus species" from respiratory samples.

• Do not use this code if the specific staphylococcal species (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) is identified; instead, use a more specific code from the J15.2- subcategory.
• Always sequence this code as the primary diagnosis when it is the reason for the encounter, unless another condition is clearly identified as the principal diagnosis.
• Look for documentation of associated conditions, such as sepsis, which would require additional coding.