A54.84

HCC Category Mapping

What This Code Means

A lung infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is sexually transmitted. This condition occurs when the infection spreads from the genital area to the lungs, causing pneumonia.

Coding Tips

• •Verify documentation confirms gonococcal infection of the lungs/respiratory system; do not assume pneumonia is gonococcal without explicit physician documentation
• •This code is part of the gonococcal infection category (A54); ensure you are not confusing it with other bacterial pneumonias and that the causative organism is clearly identified as gonorrhea

Clinical Significance

Gonococcal pneumonia is an extremely rare manifestation of disseminated gonococcal infection affecting the lungs, typically seen in severely immunocompromised patients. Its rarity makes accurate documentation and coding essential, as misidentification of the causative organism is a common error.

Documentation Requirements

• ✓Confirmed Neisseria gonorrhoeae identification from respiratory specimen (sputum culture, bronchoalveolar lavage, or blood)
• ✓Chest imaging showing pneumonia pattern (infiltrates, consolidation)
• ✓Clinical symptoms: cough, dyspnea, fever, pleuritic chest pain
• ✓Exclusion of other more common pneumonia organisms
• ✓Immunocompromised status documentation if applicable

Commonly Confused Codes