Unspecified tularemia

This ICD-9-CM code represents tularemia, a zoonotic bacterial infection caused by Francisella tularensis, without further specification of the clinical manifestation. It signifies a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of tularemia where the specific form (e.g., ulceroglandular, glandular, oculoglandular, oropharyngeal, pneumonic, typhoidal) is not documented or determined.

Use this code when the medical record indicates a diagnosis of tularemia but lacks details regarding the specific clinical presentation or site of infection. This may occur during initial evaluation before definitive diagnostic workup is complete, or if the physician's documentation simply states "tularemia" without further elaboration. Supporting documentation includes laboratory confirmation (e.g., serology, culture) or a physician's definitive diagnosis.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific form of tularemia is documented (e.g., ulceroglandular, pneumonic); refer to codes 021.0-021.8.
• Ensure documentation supports a diagnosis of tularemia, not just suspicion, for definitive coding.
• Review the entire medical record for any mention of specific manifestations that would allow for a more precise code selection.