Enterococcus as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere

This code identifies infections caused by Enterococcus species when the primary disease or condition is classified under another ICD-10-CM code. It serves as an additional code to specify the bacterial etiology of an infection that is primarily coded elsewhere, such as urinary tract infections, endocarditis, or sepsis.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states Enterococcus as the causative organism for an infection. This is typically supported by positive culture results from blood, urine, wound, or other body fluids, along with a physician's diagnostic statement linking the organism to the patient's condition.

• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific infection (e.g., urinary tract infection, endocarditis).
• Ensure the medical record explicitly identifies Enterococcus as the pathogen; avoid using for unspecified bacterial infections.
• Do not use this code if the infection is a generalized enterococcal infection that is not classified elsewhere (e.g., enterococcal bacteremia without a specific site of infection).