Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae

This code identifies a severe systemic inflammatory response (sepsis) specifically caused by an infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. It indicates a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from the body's dysregulated response to this particular bacterial pathogen.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of sepsis and laboratory confirmation or strong clinical evidence points to Streptococcus pneumoniae as the causative organism. This is often seen in cases of pneumococcal pneumonia progressing to sepsis, or other invasive pneumococcal diseases leading to systemic compromise.

• Always code the underlying infection (e.g., J13 for pneumococcal pneumonia) first, followed by this sepsis code.
• Ensure documentation explicitly links Streptococcus pneumoniae to the sepsis diagnosis; "sepsis due to pneumonia" without specifying the pathogen is insufficient.
• Do not use this code if the sepsis is due to an unspecified organism or a different bacterial species.