ICD-10 Code B17.1 – Acute hepatitis C (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code B17.1 – Acute hepatitis C
What it is
B17.1 identifies acute hepatitis C, an early infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. Use it when documentation supports a new or recently acquired HCV infection rather than a chronic carrier state.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Patients may have fatigue, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, jaundice, or elevated liver enzymes, but some acute infections are asymptomatic.
When to use this code
Use B17.1 when the provider documents acute hepatitis C, acute HCV infection, or recent hepatitis C infection. It also fits encounters focused on evaluation of a newly identified HCV infection when the record clearly indicates an acute presentation. Check documentation if chronicity is unclear.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for chronic hepatitis C, past resolved infection, or screening without confirmed disease. If the record only says hepatitis C without acute status, check documentation before assigning B17.1.
Coding tip
Verify that the provider specifies “acute” or equivalent wording before coding B17.1.