Bacterial meningoencephalitis and meningomyelitis, NEC

This code signifies inflammation of the brain and its surrounding membranes (meningoencephalitis) or the spinal cord and its membranes (meningomyelitis) caused by a bacterial infection. It represents a serious central nervous system infection requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Apply this code when documentation confirms a bacterial etiology for meningoencephalitis or meningomyelitis, and a more specific bacterial organism code is not available or applicable. Supporting documentation should include positive bacterial cultures from CSF, blood, or tissue, or strong clinical evidence of bacterial infection in the absence of a definitive pathogen.

• Do not use this code if a specific bacterial organism is identified and has its own ICD-10-CM code (e.g., G00.0 for Hemophilus meningitis).
• Always sequence this code after the specific bacterial infection code, if one is identified and coded.
• Ensure documentation clearly distinguishes bacterial from viral or fungal etiologies, as different codes apply.