Contact with and (suspected) exposure to tuberculosis

This code signifies a patient has had direct or indirect contact with an individual diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) or has been in an environment where TB transmission is suspected. It indicates potential exposure to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium without the patient themselves exhibiting active disease or latent infection at the time of encounter.

Use this code when a patient presents for evaluation following a known exposure event, such as a household contact with an active TB case, or occupational exposure in a healthcare setting. It is appropriate for initial encounters where the primary concern is assessing exposure risk and initiating follow-up protocols.

• Do not use this code if the patient has a confirmed latent TB infection (LTBI) or active TB disease; use the appropriate codes for those conditions.
• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis when the primary reason for the visit is related to the exposure (e.g., TB testing, counseling).
• Ensure documentation clearly supports the exposure event and the absence of active disease or confirmed LTBI at the time of coding.