A36.3

What This Code Means

Cutaneous diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae that affects the skin, typically presenting as painful ulcers or sores. This form of diphtheria is less severe than respiratory diphtheria but still requires medical treatment with antibiotics.

Coding Tips

• •Verify that the infection is specifically localized to the skin and not involving the respiratory tract, throat, or other sites, as those would use different diphtheria codes (A36.0, A36.1, A36.2)
• •Document the causative organism (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) in the medical record and confirm vaccination status, as this is a reportable disease in most jurisdictions