Acute hepatitis B with delta-agent without hepatic coma

This code signifies an acute infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus, occurring concurrently with a delta agent (hepatitis D virus) co-infection. Importantly, the patient does not exhibit signs or symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy or liver failure.

Apply this code when documentation confirms an acute hepatitis B infection with serologic evidence of delta agent co-infection, and the patient's clinical presentation does not include hepatic coma. This typically involves positive HBsAg, anti-HBc IgM, and anti-HDV antibodies in an acute setting.

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "acute" hepatitis B and the presence of the delta agent.
• Verify the absence of hepatic coma; if present, a different code would be appropriate.
• Do not use this code for chronic hepatitis B with delta agent; refer to codes in the B18 category for chronic conditions.