Learn about Close Contact with Tuberculosis Positive (TB Exposure) diagnosis, including clinical documentation, medical coding, and healthcare guidelines. This resource provides information on Contact with Active TB Case for accurate and efficient medical recordkeeping and reporting. Understand the importance of proper TB Exposure documentation and find relevant medical coding terms for C Close Contact with Tuberculosis Positive. Improve your clinical documentation and ensure proper coding for patients with TB exposure.
Also known as
Contact with and exposure to TB
Exposure to tuberculosis, positive or unspecified.
Respiratory tuberculosis
Covers various forms of active respiratory tuberculosis.
Persons encountering health services
Encounters for circumstances other than disease or injury.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is there documented evidence of active TB infection in the contact?
Yes
Code as Z20.822, Contact with and exposure to tuberculosis
No
Is there evidence of latent TB infection in the contact?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Exposure to active TB case. |
| Latent TB infection (LTBI). |
| Active pulmonary tuberculosis. |
Coding requires specifying exposure type (e.g., household, casual) for accurate risk assessment and public health reporting. Missing detail impacts care and surveillance.
Incorrectly coding exposure as active disease leads to overtreatment and skewed epidemiological data. Accurate documentation of contact's status is crucial.
Missing documentation of tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma release assay results hinders risk stratification and treatment planning, impacting reimbursement.
Q: How do I differentiate between latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis disease after close contact with a TB-positive individual?
A: Differentiating between latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis disease following close contact with a TB-positive individual requires a thorough clinical evaluation. While both involve exposure to *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*, they present differently. LTBI signifies infection without active disease. Individuals are asymptomatic and cannot transmit the bacteria. Diagnosis involves a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) but a normal chest X-ray and absence of clinical symptoms. Active TB, conversely, involves symptomatic disease and the ability to transmit the bacteria. Patients may exhibit symptoms such as persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss, accompanied by abnormal chest X-ray findings and potentially positive sputum cultures. Consider implementing a detailed patient history, including duration and nature of exposure, alongside TST/IGRA and chest X-ray for accurate diagnosis. Explore how risk factors such as immunosuppression influence disease progression after TB exposure.
Q: What are the recommended screening and diagnostic tests for healthcare workers exposed to a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?
A: Healthcare workers exposed to a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis require prompt screening and diagnostic testing to mitigate the risk of infection and transmission. Current CDC guidelines recommend baseline testing with a tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), ideally within 2 weeks of the initial exposure. If the baseline test is negative, repeat testing 8-10 weeks after the last exposure is recommended to capture potential conversions to latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). For healthcare workers with positive baseline or follow-up tests, further evaluation with a chest X-ray and symptom review is crucial to rule out active tuberculosis disease. Learn more about contact tracing procedures and the importance of annual TB testing in healthcare settings to ensure early detection and prevent nosocomial outbreaks.
Patient presents for evaluation of tuberculosis exposure. The patient reports recent close contact with a confirmed active pulmonary tuberculosis case. The date of initial exposure is documented as [Date of Exposure]. The duration and nature of the exposure are described as [Description of Exposure - e.g., shared living space for one month, prolonged close contact during travel]. Patient is currently asymptomatic, denying cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis. Physical examination reveals normal breath sounds and no lymphadenopathy. Tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) will be performed to assess latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Chest x-ray will be obtained to evaluate for active tuberculosis disease. Patient education provided regarding tuberculosis transmission, infection control measures, and the importance of adherence to follow-up testing and treatment if indicated. Differential diagnosis includes latent tuberculosis infection, other respiratory infections, and non-infectious pulmonary conditions. Plan includes repeat TST or IGRA in [Timeframe - e.g., 8-10 weeks] if initial test is negative. Patient advised to return immediately if any symptoms develop. ICD-10 code Z20.822 (Contact with and exposure to tuberculosis) is documented. Referral to infectious disease specialist may be considered depending on test results and clinical course. Patient provided with information on local public health resources for tuberculosis management.