Rating Schedule for Infectious Diseases & Immune Disorders
Diseases you can catch from wildlife as well as from other humans. Plus disorders that compromise the immune system.
The vast majority of these conditions are rated at 100% while the condition is active; Active for VA purposes would be the condition is detectable via appropriate diagnostic testing.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
For some strange reason, not every condition in this schedule is given a specific duration before a mandatory Revaluation must take place. HOWEVER, you should expect the VA to set a reevaluation up within 6 months or a year of when the condition was last established as active.
Infectious Diseases
6300 Cholera (Asiatic Cholera) & Vibriosis (Non-Cholera)
Infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6301 Black Fever (Dumdum Fever, Kala Azar, Visceral Leishmaniasis)
Parasitic disease.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | For 6 months after treatment stops. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6302 Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease)
Infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the skin, eyes, nose and peripheral nerves.
Has an established incubation period of 5 or more years.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | For 6 months after treatment stops. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6304 Malaria
Parasitic disease that infects red blood cells.
PRESUMPTIVE CONDITION:
This is a Presumptive condition for those who served in the Tropical regions.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6305 Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis, Filariasis)
Parasitic disease that infects the lymphatic system, including the lymph nodes.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6306 Bartonellosis
Disease caused by the bacteria of the genus Bartonella.
Can cause many other diseases such as:
Bacillary angiomatosis
Carrion’s disease
Cat scratch fever (Lymphoreticulosis)
Chronic bacteremia
chronic lymphadenopathy
Trench fever
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6307 Plague
A rare but serious bacterial infection.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6308 Relapsing Fever
Recurring fever disease caused by several species of the bacteria Spirochete borrelia that are transmitted by lice or ticks.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6309 Rheumatic Fever
A disease that can result from inadequately treated strep throat or scarlet fever
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residual
6310 Syphilis & Other Treponema Infections
A bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact.
Commonly rated under the following schedules:
Otherwise the condition is rated based upon residuals.
Common Residuals:
6317 Typhus & Anaplasma Infections
Diseases caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia, or Orientia
This includes diseases such as:
African tick-borne fever
Anaplasmosis
Bush typhus
Ehrlichia
Ehrlichiosis
Rickettsial
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Scrub Typhus
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6318 Whitmore's Disease (Melioidosis)
Disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6319 Lyme Disease (Borreliosis)
Disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6325 Hyperinfection Syndrome & Disseminated Strongyloidiasis
When your immune system is unable to fight back parasitic invasions effectively.
NOTE:
The immune system itself is NOT compromised by the parasites themselves.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6329 Hemorrhagic Fevers, including Dengue, Yellow Fever, and others
Any of a group of infectious diseases that interfere with the blood's ability to clot.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6330 Campylobacter Jejuni Infection
Disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6331 Q Fever (Coxiella Burnetii Infection, Query Fever)
An infection caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6333 Nontyphoid Salmonella Infections
Nontyphoidal salmonellae are gram-negative bacteria.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residual
6334 Shigella Infections (Shigellosis)
Caused by Shigella bacteria.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6335 West Nile Virus Infection
West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residuals
6311 All other Parasitic Diseases
Catchall for any unnamed parasitic diseases.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | While inactive - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
Common Residual
Tuberculosis (TB, Consumption)
Disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
There are essentially two forms of TB:
Affect lungs (pulmonary)
Affect other organs (non-pulmonary)
NOTE:
There are two schedules to rate pulmonary TB. The difference being those rated before or after August 19, 1968. However, the old schedule will NOT be referenced as any Veterans who were rated under that old schedule will have had their ratings considered Protected long ago.
6311 Miliary Tuberculosis
Form of TB that starts in the lungs and then spreads to other organs.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If the Veteran has active/inactive TB in the lungs and/or other organs. The Veteran can be rated immediately based upon their secondary symptoms without having to wait for the temporary 100% rating to end.
NOTE:
This is NOT a misspelling of ‘military’.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | After temp 100% ends - rated based on any residuals. |
| 100% | While active. |
6732 Tuberculous Pleurisy (Pulmonary Tuberculosis)
Swelling of the lungs due to liquid build up between the layers of the lining of the lungs with hard growths on the lining of the lungs.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | Residuals are rated under the most appropriate schedule(s). |
| 100% | For 1 year after treatments stop. |
| 100% | When active. |
6730 All Other Active Pulmonary Tuberculoses
Note:
Active pulmonary tuberculosis will be considered Permanently and totally disabling for Non-service-connected pension purposes in one of the following circumstances:
Associated with active tuberculosis involving other than the respiratory system;
With severe associated symptoms or with extensive cavity formation;
Reactivated cases;
With advancement of lesions on successive examinations or while under treatment; or
Without retrogression of lesions or other evidence of material improvement at the end of 6 months hospitalization or without change of diagnosis from “active” at the end of 12 months hospitalization. Material improvement means lessening or absence of clinical symptoms, and X-ray findings of a stationary or retrogressive lesion.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | Residuals are rated under the most appropriate schedule(s). |
| 100% | For 1 year after treatments stop. |
| 100% | When active. |
6731 Inactive Pulmonary Tuberculosis
NOTE:
If a Rib was removed (thoracoplasty) it may be rated separately.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| ?% | Residuals are rated under the General Respiratory Rating Schedule or Interstitial Lung Schedule - whichever is most appropriate. |
Immune Disorders
Infectious conditions that can affect the immune system.
6350 Lupus (Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE))
An inflammatory disease caused when the immune system attacks its own healthy tissues.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
This schedule is for lupus that attacks tissues within the body NOT the Skin!
PYRAMIDING NOTES:
You CANNOT get separate ratings for lupus that affects the Skin and for lupus that affects tissues within the body. If the Veteran suffers from both, they will get the higher of the two ratings.
If the Veteran can get a higher rating based upon residual symptoms of conditions that develop secondary to the lupus. The Veteran CANNOT get a rating for lupus.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | 1-2 severe episodes a year; OR symptomatic during the past 2 years. |
| 60% | 2-3 severe episodes a year that last a week or longer each episode. |
| 100% | Frequent severe episodes that significantly limit healthy functioning of the body. |
6351 HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) & AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)
Virus that attacks the body's immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS.
RATER NOTE:
If there is evidence indicating that the HIV/AIDS was the result of intravenous drug abuse. The VA must then make a willful misconduct/line-of-duty (LOD) administrative decision prior to rating, to determine if the Veteran is eligible for service-connection.
PYRAMIDING NOTE:
Mental illnesses, Central nervous system manifestations, opportunistic infections, and tumors MAY be rated separately if a higher overall rating results, provided the disability symptoms do NOT overlap with the rating criteria below.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| 0% | No symptoms, with or without the presence of a disease in the lymph nodes or with a reduced T4 cell count. |
| 10% | Occasional HIV-related symptoms; T4 cell count between 200-500; use of approved medication(s); or with evidence of depression or memory loss with employment limitations. |
| 30%* | Frequent HIV-related symptoms, occasional diarrhea, and use of approved medication(s). |
| 60%** | Significant HIV-related symptoms, frequent diarrhea, and weight loss. |
| 100% | AIDS with frequent opportunistic infections (see the list below) or with secondary diseases afflicting MULTIPLE body systems; OR HIV-related illness with debility and continual weight loss. |
*Minimum rating for someone with a T4 cell count of less than 200.
**Minimum rating for someone with AIDS-related opportunistic disease/infection or tumor(s).
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If the Veteran has a T4 count below the threshold for a medical diagnosis of AIDS BUT has a diagnosis of one or more of the following diseases they are considered to have a diagnosis of AIDS, for VA purposes!
List of AIDS-related opportunistic Diseases/Infections
Candidiasis of the bronchi, trachea, esophagus, or lungsInvasive cervical cancerCoccidioidomycosisCryptococcosisCryptosporidiosisCytomegalovirus (particularly CMV retinitis)HIV-related encephalopathyHerpes simplex-chronic ulcers for greater than one month, or bronchitis, pneumonia, of the esophagitisHistoplasmosisIsosporiasis (chronic intestinal)Kaposi's sarcomaLymphomaMycobacterium avium complexPneumocystis jirovecii (carinii) pneumoniaPneumonia, recurrentProgressive multifocal leukoencephalopathySalmonella septicemia, recurrentToxoplasmosis of the brainTuberculosisWasting syndrome due to HIV
6354 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID))
A disorder characterized by extreme fatigue or tiredness that doesn't go away with rest and can't be explained by an underlying medical condition.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
For this schedule, incapacitation exists only when a licensed physician prescribes bed rest and treatment.
This is a syndrome that can only be diagnosed via a process of elimination, as there are many different conditions that have symptoms of significant fatigue. For a proper diagnosis FOR VA PURPOSES the condition persist for at least 6 months; AND
There MUST be at least 6 of the following symptoms present:
Body aches;
Cognitive problems (concentration issues, forgetfulness, confusion);
Debilitating fatigue lasting 24 hours or more after exercise;
Fever;
Headaches;
Joint pain;
Muscle aches;
Sore throat;
Tender lymph nodes; or
Weakness.
| Rating |
Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | Symptoms come and go but there are periods of incapacitation lasting at least one week in total over a year; OR symptoms are controlled by continuous medication. |
| 20% | Symptoms are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities by less than 25% of the pre-illness level; OR symptoms come and go, resulting in periods of incapacitation lasting at least 2 weeks in total over a year. |
| 40% | Symptoms are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities from 50-75% of the pre-illness level; OR symptoms come and go, resulting in periods of incapacitation lasting at least 4 weeks in total over a year. |
| 60% | Symptoms are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to less than 50% of the pre-illness level; OR symptoms come and go, resulting in periods of incapacitation lasting at least 6 weeks in total over a year. |
| 100% | Symptoms are nearly constant and so severe as to restrict routine daily activities almost completely and which may occasionally prevent self-care. |
Having Trouble Finding Your Condition?
Click HERE to view the Master Condition List.