Meningococcal infection, unspecified

This code represents a confirmed or suspected infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis where the specific clinical manifestation (e.g., meningitis, bacteremia, pneumonia) is not documented or is not yet determined. It indicates the presence of meningococcal disease without further specification of the affected body system.

Use this code when documentation confirms a meningococcal infection but lacks detail regarding the specific site or clinical syndrome. This may occur in early stages of diagnosis, during initial lab confirmation, or when the physician simply states "meningococcal infection" without further elaboration. Supporting documentation includes positive cultures for N. meningitidis or physician statements of meningococcal infection.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific site of infection (e.g., meningitis, septicemia) is documented; always code to the highest level of specificity.
• Review the entire medical record for any mention of specific manifestations of meningococcal disease before assigning this unspecified code.
• If the patient has meningococcal meningitis, assign a code from category 320 (Bacterial meningitis) with an additional code for the organism if desired, rather than this unspecified code.