Infectious diarrhea

This code represents diarrhea caused by an identifiable infectious agent, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. It indicates an acute inflammatory process of the gastrointestinal tract resulting in increased frequency and liquidity of stools.

Assign this code when documentation specifies an infectious etiology for diarrhea, often accompanied by symptoms like fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, or vomiting. Supporting documentation includes positive stool cultures, viral assays, or physician's explicit diagnosis of infectious enteritis.

• Do not use for non-infectious causes of diarrhea (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, malabsorption).
• Code the specific infectious organism as an additional diagnosis if identified and documented.
• Consider sequencing if dehydration or other complications are also present, coding the more severe condition first.