C. diff Infection ICD-10-CM codes

Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection has two billable codes. A04.72 is enterocolitis due to C. difficile not specified as recurrent, and A04.71 is recurrent infection. The recurrent code requires the provider to document recurrence or a repeat episode; a positive toxin test on a patient with prior infection is not enough on its own.

Diarrhea, colitis, and pseudomembranous colitis are integral to the A04.7- code and are not reported separately; do not add R19.7 or K52.9. When the infection causes sepsis, sequence A41.9 (or the specific organism sepsis code if a different organism is documented) first, then A04.7-, followed by R65.2- if severe sepsis is documented. Toxic megacolon (K59.31) is reported as an additional code when documented.

Z79.2 (long-term current use of antibiotics) may be added when the patient is on ongoing antibiotic therapy, but it is not assigned for the short course used to treat the C. difficile itself. A patient who is colonized and asymptomatic is a carrier, coded Z22.1, not A04.72.