Sepsis due to Acinetobacter baumannii

This code identifies a severe, life-threatening systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by an infection with Acinetobacter baumannii. This bacterium is often multidrug-resistant and commonly associated with healthcare-associated infections, particularly in critically ill patients. The sepsis can manifest with organ dysfunction, hypoperfusion, and hypotension.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of sepsis and specifies Acinetobacter baumannii as the causative organism. This typically requires positive blood cultures or other sterile site cultures identifying the bacterium in a patient exhibiting signs of systemic infection and organ dysfunction.

• Always code the underlying infection (e.g., pneumonia, urinary tract infection) first, if known, followed by this sepsis code.
• Ensure the medical record explicitly identifies Acinetobacter baumannii as the pathogen; do not assume based on general "Acinetobacter" or "MDR organism."
• Do not use this code for localized Acinetobacter baumannii infections without evidence of systemic sepsis.