Bacteroides fragilis as the cause of diseases classd elswhr

This code identifies Bacteroides fragilis as the specific bacterial agent responsible for an infection or disease process that is classified under another ICD-10-CM code. It signifies that B. fragilis has been confirmed as the causative pathogen, rather than being a co-infecting organism or commensal.

Use this code when medical record documentation explicitly identifies Bacteroides fragilis as the etiology of a condition, such as an intra-abdominal abscess, peritonitis, or soft tissue infection, which is coded elsewhere. This code is always a secondary diagnosis, providing specificity to the primary infection.

• Always sequence this code after the code for the specific infection or disease caused by B. fragilis.
• Ensure documentation clearly states B. fragilis as the cause of the condition, not just present in a culture.
• Do not use this code for colonization or when B. fragilis is part of normal flora without evidence of pathogenicity.