J02.9 Acute pharyngitis, unspecified

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applicable to

• Gangrenous pharyngitis (acute)
• Infective pharyngitis (acute) NOS
• Pharyngitis (acute) NOS
• Sore throat (acute) NOS
• Suppurative pharyngitis (acute)
• Ulcerative pharyngitis (acute)

Excludes1 (never code together)

• influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations (J09.X2, J10.1, J11.1)

Applies from J02 Acute pharyngitis

Includes

• acute sore throat

Excludes1 (never code together)

• acute laryngopharyngitis (J06.0)
• peritonsillar abscess (J36)
• pharyngeal abscess (J39.1)
• retropharyngeal abscess (J39.0)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• chronic pharyngitis (J31.2)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 011-013 in MDC PRE.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 462 Acute pharyngitis (approximate)

Code annotations containing back-references to J02.9

Back-references to J02.9

• Type 1 Excludes: J00 Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold] ("acute sore throat NOS (J02.9)")
• Type 1 Excludes: J00 Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold] ("pharyngitis NOS (J02.9)")
• Type 1 Excludes: J00 Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold] ("sore throat NOS (J02.9)")
• Type 1 Excludes: J03 Acute tonsillitis ("sore throat NOS (J02.9)")
• Type 2 Excludes: J31.2 Chronic pharyngitis ("acute pharyngitis (J02.9)")
• Type 2 Excludes: J39.2 Other diseases of pharynx ("ulcerative pharyngitis (J02.9)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R07.0 Pain in throat ("sore throat (acute) NOS (J02.9)")

Back-references to J02

• Code Also: D81.82 Activated Phosphoinositide 3-kinase Delta Syndrome [APDS] ("other acute respiratory tract infections (J00-J06; J20-J22)")
• Type 1 Excludes: J00 Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold] ("acute pharyngitis (J02.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: J03 Acute tonsillitis ("acute sore throat (J02.-)")

Diagnosis Index entries for J02.9

• Faucitis
• Necrosis, necrotic (ischemic) › pharynx
• Pharyngitis (acute) (catarrhal)(gangrenous) (infective) (malignant) (membranous) (phlegmonous) (pseudomembranous) (simple) (subacute) (suppurative) (ulcerative) (viral)
• Pharyngitis (acute) (catarrhal)(gangrenous) (infective) (malignant) (membranous) (phlegmonous) (pseudomembranous) (simple) (subacute) (suppurative) (ulcerative) (viral) › purulent
• Pharyngitis (acute) (catarrhal)(gangrenous) (infective) (malignant) (membranous) (phlegmonous) (pseudomembranous) (simple) (subacute) (suppurative) (ulcerative) (viral) › putrid
• Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › sore throat

Nearby codes

• J02 Acute pharyngitis
• J02.0 Streptococcal pharyngitis
• J02.8 Acute pharyngitis due to other specified organisms
• J02.9 Acute pharyngitis, unspecified (this code)