ICD-10 Code J15.2 – Pneumonia due to staphylococcus (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J15.2 – Pneumonia due to staphylococcus
What it is
J15.2 identifies pneumonia caused by staphylococcus bacteria. Use it when documentation states staphylococcal pneumonia, including Staphylococcus aureus, as the cause of the lung infection.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Typical pneumonia findings may include cough, fever, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and imaging consistent with lung infection.
When to use this code
Use J15.2 when the provider clearly documents pneumonia due to staphylococcus or identifies staphylococcal pneumonia as the final diagnosis. It also fits when culture or clinical assessment supports staphylococcal causation and the record links the organism to the pneumonia.
Code it only for the pneumonia diagnosis itself, not for simple colonization or an unrelated staphylococcal infection. Check documentation if the organism is named but the type of pneumonia is not specified.
Do not use for
Do not use J15.2 for pneumonia caused by other bacteria, viral pneumonia, or aspiration pneumonia. Do not apply it when staphylococcus is mentioned without a documented causal relationship to the pneumonia.
Coding tip
Confirm that the provider links staphylococcus to the pneumonia before assigning J15.2.