Bacteremia

This code signifies the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, confirmed by a positive blood culture, without evidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or organ dysfunction. It indicates a transient or low-level bacterial presence that has not yet progressed to a more severe systemic infection.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states "bacteremia" and a positive blood culture is present, but there is no clinical evidence of sepsis (e.g., no fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, or hypotension attributable to the infection). It is appropriate for cases where bacteria are detected in the blood but the patient remains clinically stable without signs of systemic compromise.

• Do not use this code if the patient exhibits signs of sepsis; instead, code the specific infection causing the sepsis.
• Ensure documentation clearly differentiates bacteremia from sepsis to avoid miscoding.
• Consider the underlying source of the bacteremia if known, as additional codes may be necessary.