Lentivirus as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere

This code identifies a lentivirus as the etiological agent responsible for a disease process that is classified and coded separately. It signifies that a lentiviral infection is the underlying cause of another condition, rather than the primary diagnosis itself.

Apply this code as a secondary diagnosis when documentation clearly states a lentivirus is the causative organism for a condition like HIV disease (B20) or other specified viral infections. It is used in conjunction with the code for the specific disease manifested.

• Always sequence this code after the code for the specific disease caused by the lentivirus.
• Ensure documentation explicitly identifies a lentivirus as the cause, not just a general viral infection.
• Do not use this code as a primary diagnosis; it is an "in addition to" code.