Cracking the Code
Coding Shigella
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Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for bloody diarrhea. Treatment for most cases of Shigella is aimed at rehydration and does not involve antibiotics. Patients with weakened immune systems may be more likely to become severely ill. According to the CDC, Shigella bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Shigella cause an estimated 450,000 infections in the United States each year and an estimated $93 million in direct medical costs.
Infection is diagnosed when a laboratory identifies Shigella bacteria in the stool of an ill person. The test could be a culture that isolates the bacteria or a rapid diagnostic test that detects the genetic material of the bacteria.
When coding Shigella, we see selections for the different subgroups/species based on biochemical and Serological characteristics. Code selection will be based on provider documentation.