Z20-Z29: Persons with potential health hazards related to communicable diseases

Z23: Need for immunization against single bacterial diseases

The ICD-10 code Z23 refers to the medical need for immunization against single bacterial diseases. This category encapsulates a variety of diseases, all of which are caused by different bacteria. Although symptoms and disease progression vary greatly depending on the specific bacteria, there are several general characteristics. Bacterial diseases can be found in a variety of environments, infecting the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or transference from a carrier source, such as an infected individual or contaminated object. Once inside the body, the bacteria can multiply and spread, often resulting in an immune response that leads to varying symptoms like fever, fatigue, nausea, and site-specific discomfort or swelling. Immunization is a preventative measure, introducing a harmless version of the bacteria to stimulate the patient's immune system to develop a response for future encounters with the same bacteria.