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HIV-related illness
Diagnostic code 6351 · Infectious diseases, immune disorders and nutritional deficiencies · 38 CFR 4.88b
Rating criteria: the exact regulation text
Quoted from 38 CFR 4.88b. The "Rating" column is the percentage VA assigns for that level.
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| 6351 HIV-related illness: | |
| AIDS with recurrent opportunistic infections (see Note 3) or with secondary diseases afflicting multiple body systems; HIV-related illness with debility and progressive weight loss | 100 |
| Refractory constitutional symptoms, diarrhea, and pathological weight loss; or minimum rating following development of AIDS-related opportunistic infection or neoplasm | 60 |
| Recurrent constitutional symptoms, intermittent diarrhea, and use of approved medication(s); or minimum rating with T4 cell count less than 200 | 30 |
| Following development of HIV-related constitutional symptoms; T4 cell count between 200 and 500; use of approved medication(s); or with evidence of depression or memory loss with employment limitations | 10 |
| Asymptomatic, following initial diagnosis of HIV infection, with or without lymphadenopathy or decreased T4 cell count | 0 |
| Note 1: In addition to standard therapies and regimens, the term “approved medication(s)” includes treatment regimens and medications prescribed as part of a research protocol at an accredited medical institution. | |
| Note 2: Diagnosed psychiatric illness, central nervous system manifestations, opportunistic infections, and neoplasms may be rated separately under the appropriate diagnostic codes if a higher overall evaluation results, provided the disability symptoms do not overlap with evaluations otherwise assignable above. | |
| Note 3: The following list of opportunistic infections are considered AIDS-defining conditions, that is, a diagnosis of AIDS follows if a person has HIV and one more of these infections, regardless of the CD4 count—candidiasis of the bronchi, trachea, esophagus, or lungs; invasive cervical cancer; coccidioidomycosis; cryptococcosis; cryptosporidiosis; cytomegalovirus (particularly CMV retinitis); HIV-related encephalopathy; herpes simplex-chronic ulcers for greater than one month, or bronchitis, pneumonia, or esophagitis; histoplasmosis; isosporiasis (chronic intestinal); Kaposi's sarcoma; lymphoma; mycobacterium avium complex; tuberculosis; pneumocystis jirovecii (carinii) pneumonia; pneumonia, recurrent; progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy; salmonella septicemia, recurrent; toxoplasmosis of the brain; and wasting syndrome due to HIV. |
Notes for the whole table
Note: Rate any residual disability of infection within the appropriate body system as indicated by the notes in the evaluation criteria. As applicable, consider the long-term health effects potentially associated with infectious diseases as listed in § 3.317(d) of this chapter, specifically Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), Malaria, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral Leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus.
The VA exam form for this condition
VA examiners record their findings on a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ). Reading it shows you what the exam will measure and ask.
Rules that apply to this body system
Where this comes from
38 CFR 4.88b, VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities, from the official eCFR.
Regulation text current as of October 16, 2026.
Change history for this code (38 CFR Part 4, Appendix A): Added March 1, 1989; evaluation March 24, 1992; criterion August 30, 1996; criterion, note August 11, 2019.
Read it on eCFR.govInformation, not advice
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