2025 ICD-10-CM code A04
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Infectious Diseases - Intestinal infectious diseases Certain infectious and parasitic diseases Feed
Other bacterial intestinal infections. Excludes bacterial foodborne intoxications (A05.-) and tuberculous enteritis (A18.32).
Medical necessity is established by the presence of signs and symptoms consistent with a bacterial intestinal infection requiring medical intervention.
Clinicians should perform a thorough evaluation, including patient history, physical examination, and laboratory tests like stool cultures to identify the causative organism. Treatment typically involves rehydration and, in severe cases, antibiotics.
In simple words: This code represents bacterial infections of the intestines that are not categorized under other specific infections.These infections are typically acquired from contaminated food or water, causing symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, and fever.
This code encompasses various bacterial infections affecting the intestines not classified elsewhere. It includes infections caused by bacteria other than those specifically identified, such as certain E. coli types or Clostridium difficile.
Example 1: A patient presents with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever after consuming contaminated food.Stool culture confirms a bacterial infection not otherwise specified, making A04 the appropriate code., A traveler returning from a developing country experiences persistent diarrhea. After ruling out other specific pathogens, A04 is used to code the bacterial intestinal infection., A child presents with bloody diarrhea and is diagnosed with a bacterial infection after other common causes are excluded. A04 is used to code the diagnosis before specific identification.
Documentation should include signs and symptoms, travel history, food intake history, laboratory results (stool culture and sensitivity), and response to treatment.
** For infections with identified pathogens like E. coli or C. difficile, use the specific codes (e.g., A04.0-A04.7).If the infection is foodborne, consider using an additional code from the A05 category to specify the type of foodborne illness.
- Specialties:Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Office, Home, Skilled Nursing Facility