Z22.4 Carrier of infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting.

Applies from Z22 Carrier of infectious disease

Includes

• colonization status
• suspected carrier

Excludes2 (not included here)

• carrier of viral hepatitis (B18.-)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 951 in MDC 23.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• V02.7 Carrier or suspected carrier of gonorrhea (approximate)
• V02.8 Carrier or suspected carrier of other venereal diseases (approximate)

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Unacceptable principal diagnosis: These codes describe a circumstance which influences care but is not a current illness or injury, or capture only an underlying condition, and are unacceptable as principal diagnosis.

Code annotations containing back-references to Z22.4

Back-references to Z22

• Use Additional: O99.83 Other infection carrier state complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium ("code to identify the carrier state (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R82.7 Abnormal findings on microbiological examination of urine ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R83.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in cerebrospinal fluid ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R84.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R85.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R86.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from male genital organs ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R87.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from female genital organs ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R89.5 Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from other organs, systems and tissues ("colonization status (Z22.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: Z20 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases ("carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)")

Diagnosis Index entries for Z22.4

• Carrier (suspected) of › bacterial disease NEC › sexually transmitted
• Carrier (suspected) of › gonorrhea
• Carrier (suspected) of › syphilis
• Carrier (suspected) of › venereal disease NEC

Nearby codes

• Z22.35 Carrier of Enterobacterales
• Z22.350 Carrier of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales
• Z22.358 Carrier of other Enterobacterales
• Z22.359 Carrier of Enterobacterales, unspecified
• Z22.39 Carrier of other specified bacterial diseases
• Z22.4 Carrier of infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (this code)
• Z22.6 Carrier of human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 [HTLV-1] infection
• Z22.7 Latent tuberculosis
• Z22.8 Carrier of other infectious diseases
• Z22.9 Carrier of infectious disease, unspecified