2025 ICD-10-CM code B95.6
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Certain infectious and parasitic diseases - Bacterial and viral infectious agents 1 Feed
Staphylococcus aureus as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere.
Medical necessity for using B95.6 rests on the established presence of Staphylococcus aureus as the etiological agent of the diagnosed condition.This is typically supported by laboratory findings such as positive cultures.
Clinicians should use this code as a secondary code to indicate Staphylococcus aureus as the causative agent when a patient presents with a disease attributable to this bacterium. It is crucial to also code the primary disease itself.Confirmation of the presence of S. aureus should be through appropriate laboratory testing.
In simple words: This code is used when a disease is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It's used in addition to the code for the disease itself, not on its own.
This code identifies Staphylococcus aureus as the cause of a disease classified elsewhere.It should be used as a secondary code following the code for the primary disease.
Example 1: A patient presents with pneumonia.Lab tests confirm the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. The physician would code the appropriate pneumonia code (e.g., J15.211, Pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin susceptible) as the primary diagnosis, followed by B95.6 to specify the bacterial cause., A patient has a skin infection confirmed as cellulitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The appropriate cellulitis code (e.g., L03.115, Cellulitis of lower leg due to Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin susceptible) would be the primary code, with B95.6 added to indicate S. aureus as the cause., A patient develops food poisoning after consuming contaminated food.Testing reveals the presence of Staphylococcus aureus toxins. The appropriate food poisoning code (e.g., A05.0, Foodborne staphylococcal intoxication) is used first, followed by B95.6.
Documentation should clearly state the diagnosis and the causative organism (Staphylococcus aureus), confirmed by laboratory results. If antibiotic susceptibility testing is performed, the results should also be documented.
** It is essential to distinguish between colonization and infection with S. aureus.B95.6 is used only in cases of active infection.
- Specialties:Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Dermatology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Office, Emergency Room - Hospital, Skilled Nursing Facility, Nursing Facility, Independent Clinic, Federally Qualified Health Center