Actinomycotic sepsis

This code signifies a severe, systemic infection caused by bacteria of the Actinomyces genus, leading to a widespread inflammatory response throughout the body. It represents a life-threatening condition where the infection has disseminated beyond a localized site, impacting multiple organ systems.

Utilize this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of sepsis specifically attributed to Actinomyces infection, often confirmed by microbiological culture. This typically occurs in patients presenting with signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in the presence of a confirmed or highly suspected actinomycotic infection.

• Ensure documentation explicitly links the sepsis to Actinomyces species; otherwise, a more general sepsis code may be appropriate.
• Always code the underlying Actinomyces infection (e.g., cervicofacial, thoracic, abdominal) as a primary diagnosis when known, with this code as a secondary diagnosis.
• Do not confuse with other bacterial sepsis codes; this code is specific to Actinomyces.