Early cutaneous congenital syphilis

This code describes the manifestation of syphilis in a newborn, acquired transplacentally, presenting with skin lesions during the early stages of the disease (typically within the first two years of life). These cutaneous signs are a direct result of the spirochete Treponema pallidum infection transmitted from the mother.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of congenital syphilis with specific mention of early cutaneous involvement in an infant. This diagnosis is typically supported by positive serological tests for syphilis in both the infant and mother, along with clinical findings of skin lesions such such as maculopapular rash, bullae, or rhagades.

• Differentiate from late congenital syphilis (A50.5x) which presents with different clinical features and later in life.
• Ensure documentation specifies "early" and "cutaneous" to support the specificity of this code.
• Always code the maternal condition (e.g., A52.9 for unspecified syphilis in the mother) if known and relevant to the infant's care.