Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) resistance

This code indicates that a bacterial infection is resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and aztreonam, due to the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase enzymes. This resistance makes infections more challenging to treat and often requires alternative antibiotic therapies.

This code is used when laboratory testing confirms the presence of ESBL resistance in a bacterial isolate from a patient with an infection. It should be assigned as a secondary diagnosis to specify the drug resistance when the primary diagnosis is the infection itself.

• Always sequence the infection code first, followed by this resistance code.
• Do not use this code for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, as there is a specific Excludes2 note for that scenario.
• Ensure documentation clearly supports the laboratory confirmation of ESBL resistance.