Gulf War and Afghanistan infectious diseases

← Presumptive Condition Checker

Who qualifies

On or after August 2, 1990, in one of these places: Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, or the waters of the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden or Gulf of Oman. Afghanistan counts on or after September 19, 2001.

• Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, or the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia (on or after August 2, 1990)38 CFR 3.317(c)(3)(ii), (e)(2)
• On a ship or aircraft over the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden or Gulf of Oman (on or after August 2, 1990)38 CFR 3.317(e)(2)
• Afghanistan (on or after September 19, 2001)38 CFR 3.317(c)(3)(ii)

Conditions VA presumes (9)

• BrucellosisWithin 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(i)
• Campylobacter jejuniWithin 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(ii)
• Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)Within 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(iii)
• MalariaWithin 1 year after you left that service, or later if its incubation period started during service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(iv)
• Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)No time limit.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(v)
• Nontyphoid SalmonellaWithin 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(vi)
• ShigellaWithin 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(vii)
• Visceral leishmaniasisNo time limit.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(viii)
• West Nile virusWithin 1 year after you left that service.38 CFR 3.317(c)(2)(ix)

Time limit

Most must have appeared, at a level of at least 10%, within 1 year after you left that service. Malaria can be later if the time it takes to develop (the incubation period) started during service. Tuberculosis and visceral leishmaniasis have no time limit.

You'd still need to show

• A current diagnosis of the condition from a doctor or other medical provider.
• Records that show your qualifying service, such as your DD214, orders, or unit or ship records.
• A discharge that isn't dishonorable.
• For most of these, medical records showing the disease within the time limit.

Even when a condition is on a list, VA can still decide it was caused by something else if there is evidence of that (the presumption can be rebutted).

Some later health problems can be linked to these diseases. Examples are Guillain-Barré syndrome after Campylobacter, or reactive arthritis after Salmonella or Shigella. VA asks a doctor whether the disease caused the later problem (38 CFR 3.317(d)).

The law: 38 U.S.C. 1118 · 38 CFR 3.317(c), (d)
On VA.gov: Gulf War illnesses linked to Southwest Asia service

Regulation text current as of October 15, 2026. This is general information from a free tool, not legal or medical advice, and not a decision. Only VA decides claims.