2025 CPT code 86768
Effective Date: N/A Pathology and Laboratory Procedures - Immunology Procedures Feed
Antibody; Salmonella. This code represents a laboratory test to detect antibodies against Salmonella bacteria in a patient's serum.
Modifiers may be applicable. For example, modifier 90 indicates the test was performed by an outside laboratory, and modifier 91 indicates a repeat test.
Medical necessity for 86768 is established when a patient presents with clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of salmonellosis, such as prolonged or severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, or other related symptoms. A physician's order for the test and documentation of the patient's medical history supporting the suspicion of Salmonella infection are also required.
The lab analyst is responsible for performing all technical aspects of the immunoassay test, including reacting the patient's serum sample with test antigens, incubating, adding detection agents (like fluorescent markers), and interpreting the test results (positive, negative, or semiquantitative values).
In simple words: This is a blood test to see if you've been infected with Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning. It checks for specific substances in your blood called antibodies that your body makes to fight off Salmonella.
This test helps identify if a patient has been exposed to or infected with Salmonella. A lab analyst uses immunoassay techniques like ELISA to detect the presence of specific antibodies in the blood serum that are produced in response to a Salmonella infection. This test is especially crucial in patients exhibiting gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and bloody diarrhea, which could indicate salmonellosis. It aids in diagnosing Salmonella infection, particularly if initial treatments are ineffective. It's important to distinguish this serum antibody test from stool cultures (87045) which directly detect the bacteria.
Example 1: A patient presents with persistent diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever after returning from a trip abroad. The physician orders a Salmonella antibody test (86768) to determine if Salmonella infection is the cause., A patient experiences severe food poisoning symptoms after consuming undercooked chicken. The 86768 test is ordered to check for Salmonella antibodies in their blood and confirm the diagnosis. , A patient has prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms despite initial treatment. Code 86768 is used for the Salmonella antibody test, which helps determine if Salmonella infection is the underlying cause and guide further management.
Documentation should include the patient's signs and symptoms, relevant travel or dietary history (e.g., consumption of potentially contaminated food), the reason for ordering the test, and the test results.
- Revenue Code: 300
- Specialties:Clinical Laboratory, Pathology, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine
- Place of Service:Independent Laboratory, Outpatient Hospital, Office