ICD-10 Code B96.2 – Escherichia coli [E. coli ] as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code B96.2 – Escherichia coli [E. coli ] as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
What it is
B96.2 identifies E. coli as the infectious organism causing another condition. You use it only as an additional code, not as the primary diagnosis.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. E. coli may be linked to a documented infection such as urinary, abdominal, or bloodstream infection when the record clearly identifies it as the cause.
When to use this code
Use B96.2 when the provider documents E. coli as the cause of a disease classified elsewhere, and another code describes the site or condition. It commonly supports coding of infections where the organism is specified. Do not assign it if E. coli is only suspected or not confirmed in the note.
Do not use for
Do not use B96.2 as the principal diagnosis or for nonspecific bacterial infections without organism documentation. Check documentation if the record names a different organism or does not link E. coli to the condition.
Coding tip
Pair B96.2 with the code for the actual infection site or disease, and code the organism only when the provider explicitly documents it.