A52.13

What This Code Means

This is a serious brain infection caused by syphilis that develops years after the initial infection. It causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms like headaches, fever, and stiff neck.

Coding Tips

• •This code is used only for late-stage syphilis (occurring more than 2 years after initial infection); verify documentation confirms late syphilis rather than early or congenital syphilis
• •Ensure the meningitis component is clearly documented in the medical record; if only late syphilis is documented without meningitis involvement, use a different A52 code