Shingles ICD-10-CM Code

What ICD-10 codes are used for shingles 

B02.9 – Zoster without complications: Used for uncomplicated shingles cases with no associated symptoms or organ involvement. This is the most common code for standard herpes zoster presentations.

B02.7 – Disseminated zoster: Applied when shingles spreads beyond the primary site, potentially affecting multiple organs such as the lungs or liver. Often seen in individuals with compromised immune systems.

B02.3 – Zoster ocular disease: General code for shingles involving the eye. This includes a group of eye-related complications, with several more specific subcodes detailed below:

• B02.30 – Zoster ocular disease, unspecified
  Used when the specific eye condition is not further defined.
• B02.31 – Zoster conjunctivitis
  Assigned when the virus causes inflammation of the conjunctiva (the eye’s outer membrane).
• B02.32 – Zoster iridocyclitis
  Used when inflammation affects the iris and ciliary body, which control the pupil and focus.
• B02.33 – Zoster keratitis
  Indicates inflammation of the cornea, one of the most common and serious ocular complications.
• B02.34 – Zoster scleritis
  Used when shingles leads to inflammation of the sclera, the white outer layer of the eyeball.
• B02.39 – Other herpes zoster eye disease
  Includes other eye-related complications, such as zoster blepharitis (eyelid inflammation).

B02.2 – Zoster with other nervous system involvement: Used when shingles affects the central or peripheral nervous system. This includes complications like postherpetic neuralgia, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, or Guillain-Barré syndrome.

B02.1 – Zoster meningitis: Assigned when shingles causes inflammation of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This is a rare but serious complication.

B02.0 – Zoster encephalitis: Used when the virus affects the brain, causing inflammation. This severe complication is also rare and requires immediate medical attention.

B02.8 – Zoster with other complications: Used when shingles leads to additional conditions not covered in other categories, such as otitis externa, bacterial infections, or pneumonia.

Which shingles ICD codes are billable? 

All the previously mentioned codes, except B02.2 and B02.3, are billable.

Clinical information

• Shingles, also referred to as zoster herpes, is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus—the same virus that causes chickenpox. After an initial chickenpox infection, the virus stays dormant in the body and can reactivate later in life, resulting in shingles.
• This condition typically presents as a painful rash, often on one side of the body, most commonly on the chest, back, or face. Initial symptoms may include burning, tingling, or localized pain before the rash appears. In some cases, patients also experience fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle weakness, and sensitivity to light.
• Shingles most often affects older adults, especially those with weakened immune systems. Individuals who have not had chickenpox or received the vaccine are at a higher risk. While shingles itself is not usually contagious, contact with fluid from the blisters can cause chickenpox in those without prior immunity.
• Early treatment is crucial. When started within 72 hours of rash onset, antiviral medications such as valacyclovir or famciclovir can reduce the severity and duration of the illness. Additional care may include over-the-counter pain relievers, calamine lotion, or anticonvulsant medications such as gabapentin or pregabalin to manage postherpetic neuralgia, a common long-term complication.
• Although there's no cure, vaccination can prevent shingles or reduce its severity, especially in older adults. Most people recover within weeks, but complications like postherpetic neuralgia can result in chronic nerve pain that persists after the rash clears.

Synonyms include

• Herpes zoster
• Zona
• Chickenpox shingles