ICD10BillableValid for clinical use
ICD-10 Code A40.1: Sepsis due to streptococcus, group B
Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 26 May 2026
What is this code?
ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).
đź“‹Clinical overview
This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes sepsis or a sepsis-related infectious syndrome. The most accurate code depends on the documented organism, whether severe sepsis or shock is present, and how specific the clinical record is.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents sepsis due to streptococcus, group b in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code can be used as a clinically usable diagnosis entry in standardized coding workflows.
What it does not mean
- A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
- A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.
đź©şClinical context
When commonly used
- Emergency, inpatient, and critical-care documentation where a systemic infection or sepsis syndrome is part of the active encounter.
- Hospital coding, utilization review, and discharge summaries where infection severity and causative-organism detail affect the final diagnosis code.
Common management context
- Sepsis workup and management often involve urgent laboratory review, cultures, fluid resuscitation context, antimicrobial treatment, and close monitoring.
- Documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the organism, source of infection, organ dysfunction, or septic shock.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Infectious Disease Specialist, General Physician.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- ICD-10 sepsis coding usually becomes more specific when the record identifies a causative organism or documents severe sepsis, septic shock, or organ dysfunction.
- Related infection-source codes may also matter when the chart separately documents the originating infection site or associated complications.
Related codes to consider
A40.0Sepsis due to streptococcus, group A
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.3Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.8Other streptococcal sepsis
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
A40.9Streptococcal sepsis, unspecified
Related sepsis-family ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when organism, severity, or organ-dysfunction detail is present.
Code hierarchy
chapter
1Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
block
A30-A49Other bacterial diseases
category
A40Streptococcal sepsis
currentA40
Where you may see this code
You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records.
Related specialists
Infectious Disease SpecialistGeneral Physician
Related codes
Sibling codes
Coverage-related procedures and services
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Source: CMS coverage guidance
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Source: CMS coverage guidance
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Source: CMS coverage guidance
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3D RENDERING WITH INTERPRETATION AND REPORTING OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY, MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, ULTRASOUND, OR OTHER TOMOGRAPHIC MODALITY WITH IMAGE POSTPROCESSING UNDER CONCURRENT SUPERVISION; NOT REQUIRING IMAGE POSTPROCESSING ON AN INDEPENDENT WORKSTATION
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 76377high
3D RENDERING WITH INTERPRETATION AND REPORTING OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY, MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, ULTRASOUND, OR OTHER TOMOGRAPHIC MODALITY WITH IMAGE POSTPROCESSING UNDER CONCURRENT SUPERVISION; REQUIRING IMAGE POSTPROCESSING ON AN INDEPENDENT WORKSTATION
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 87154high
CULTURE, TYPING; IDENTIFICATION OF BLOOD PATHOGEN AND RESISTANCE TYPING, WHEN PERFORMED, BY NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA) PROBE, MULTIPLEXED AMPLIFIED PROBE TECHNIQUE INCLUDING MULTIPLEX REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION, WHEN PERFORMED, PER CULTURE OR ISOLATE, 6 OR MORE TARGETS
Source: CMS coverage guidance
Mapped diagnoses and classifications
Coding guidelines
Compatibility
Legacy and official ICD code match exactly.
Legacy codes
A40.1
Common synonyms
Sepsis due to streptococcus, group B
Frequently asked questions
About this content
This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.