Contact with and (suspected) exposure to varicella

This code indicates that an individual has had contact with or is suspected of having been exposed to the varicella-zoster virus, commonly known as chickenpox. It signifies a potential exposure event without the presence of active disease or symptoms in the patient at the time of encounter.

This code is appropriate when a patient presents for evaluation after known or suspected exposure to someone with chickenpox, such as a household contact or school exposure. It is used for prophylactic treatment, monitoring, or counseling related to the exposure.

• Do not use this code if the patient is symptomatic or has a confirmed varicella infection; instead, code the active disease.
• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis if the encounter is for a specific medical service related to the exposure (e.g., vaccine administration).
• Consider additional codes for the reason for the encounter, such as Z23 for immunizations, if applicable.