Version 2024
No Valid Principal Dx

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R78.81

Bacteremia

ICD-10-CM Code:
R78.81
ICD-10 Code for:
Bacteremia
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis
      (R70-R79)
      • Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
        (R78)

R78.81 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of bacteremia. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Bacteremia
  • Bacteremia associated with intravascular line
  • Bacteremia caused by Chromobacterium
  • Bacteremia caused by Clostridium
  • Bacteremia caused by Coliform
  • Bacteremia caused by Enterococcus
  • Bacteremia caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
  • Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
  • Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
  • Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
  • Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
  • Bacteremia caused by Proteus
  • Bacteremia caused by Pseudomonas
  • Bacteremia due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
  • Bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus
  • Bacteremic skin rash
  • Organism isolated in blood by culture
  • Postoperative bacteremia

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Bacteremia

    the presence of viable bacteria circulating in the blood. fever, chills, tachycardia, and tachypnea are common acute manifestations of bacteremia. the majority of cases are seen in already hospitalized patients, most of whom have underlying diseases or procedures which render their bloodstreams susceptible to invasion.
  • Hemorrhagic Septicemia

    any of several bacterial diseases, usually caused by pasteurella multocida, marked by the presence of hemorrhagic areas in the subcutaneous tissues, serous membranes, muscles, lymph glands, and throughout the internal organs. the diseases primarily affect animals and rarely humans.
  • Pasteurella multocida

    a species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria normally found in the flora of the mouth and respiratory tract of animals and birds. it causes shipping fever (see pasteurellosis, pneumonic); hemorrhagic bacteremia; and intestinal disease in animals. in humans, disease usually arises from a wound infection following a bite or scratch from domesticated animals.
  • Bacteremia

    a laboratory test result that indicates the presence of bacteria in the blood.
  • Bacteremia, CTCAE|Bacteremia

    a disorder characterized by the presence of bacteria in the blood stream.
  • Cordonnier Grade 2 Bacterial Complication, Bacteremia without Severe Sepsis|Grade 2 Bacteremia without Severe Sepsis

    any bacteremia without severe sepsis.
  • Cordonnier Grade 3 Bacterial Complication, Bacteremia with Severe Sepsis|Grade 3 Bacterial Infection Bacteremia with Severe Sepsis

    any bacteremia with severe sepsis.
  • Cordonnier Grade 3 Bacterial Complication, Complex Bacteremia|Grade 3 Complex Bacteremia

    any complex bacteremia with deep organ involvement.
  • Grade 2 Bacteremia, CTCAE|Grade 2 Bacteremia

    blood culture positive with no signs or symptoms
  • Hemodialysis Catheter-Associated Bacteremia

    the presence of bacteria in the blood caused by an infected hemodialysis catheter.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • sepsis-code to specified infection

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert R78.81 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 771.83 - Bacteremia of newborn
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.
  • ICD-9-CM Code: 790.7 - Bacteremia
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


Sepsis

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is your body's overactive and extreme response to an infection. Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency. Without quick treatment, it can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death.

What causes sepsis?

Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Bacterial infections are the most common cause, but other types of infections can also cause it.

The infections are often in the lungs, stomach, kidneys, or bladder. It's possible for sepsis to begin with a small cut that gets infected or with an infection that develops after surgery. Sometimes, sepsis can occur in people who didn't even know that they had an infection.

Who is at risk for sepsis?

Anyone with an infection could get sepsis. But certain people are at higher risk:

  • Adults 65 or older
  • People with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and kidney disease
  • People with weakened immune systems
  • Pregnant women
  • Children younger than one

What are the symptoms of sepsis?

Sepsis can cause one or more of these symptoms:

  • Rapid breathing and heart rate
  • Shortness of breath
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Extreme pain or discomfort
  • Fever, shivering, or feeling very cold
  • Clammy or sweaty skin

It's important to get medical care right away if you think you might have sepsis or if your infection is not getting better or is getting worse.

What other problems can sepsis cause?

Severe cases of sepsis can lead to septic shock, where your blood pressure drops to a dangerous level and multiple organs can fail.

How is sepsis diagnosed?

Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

  • A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
  • A physical exam, including checking vital signs (your temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing)
  • Lab tests that check for signs of infection or organ damage
  • Imaging tests such as an x-ray or a CT scan to find the location of the infection

Many of the signs and symptoms of sepsis can also be caused by other medical conditions. This may make sepsis hard to diagnose in its early stages.

What are the treatments for sepsis?

It is very important to get treatment right away. Treatment usually includes:

  • Antibiotics
  • Maintaining blood flow to organs. This may involve getting oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids.
  • Treating the source of the infection
  • If needed, medicines to increase blood pressure

In serious cases, you might need kidney dialysis or a breathing tube. Some people need surgery to remove tissue damaged by the infection.

Can sepsis be prevented?

To prevent sepsis, you should try to prevent getting an infection:

  • Take good care of any chronic health conditions that you have
  • Get recommended vaccines
  • Practice good hygiene, such as handwashing
  • Keep cuts clean and covered until healed

NIH: National Institute of General Medical SciencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.