Body system: Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, and Nutritional DeficienciesRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.88bDBQ: DBQ INFECT Infectious Disease (Other than HIV-related illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Tuberculosis)
Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is a zoonotic bacterial infection contracted from livestock (cattle, sheep, goats), with both an acute febrile illness and a chronic form featuring endocarditis or vascular complications. The VA rates this condition under the General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases (38 CFR § 4.88b): 100% during the active phase of disease (acute infection requiring treatment), then 0% under this DC once the active disease has resolved. Any lasting damage from the infection (residuals) is rated SEPARATELY under whichever body-system code best matches the deficit (chronic fatigue, hepatitis under the digestive codes, endocarditis under DC 7000, and vascular involvement under the cardiovascular codes), then combined under § 4.25.
Rating levels
- 100% — You qualify for 100% during active Coxiella burnetii infection (Q fever). The 100% rating recognizes that an active systemic infection of this severity is incapacitating, regardless of which specific organ systems are affected at the time. Once the active phase resolves, the DC itself drops to 0% and any lasting damage is rated under the appropriate body-system codes.
- 0% — After the active Q fever has resolved, this code itself rates 0%. Any lasting damage is rated under the body system it affects, not under this code; the regulation names chronic hepatitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis (bone infection), post-Q-fever chronic fatigue syndrome and vascular infections as examples. Multiple residual ratings are combined under 38 CFR 4.25.
- Note — Once the active Q fever has resolved, any lasting damage is rated under the body system it affects. The regulation names chronic hepatitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis (bone infection), post-Q-fever chronic fatigue syndrome and vascular infections as examples; other residuals are rated under their own codes and the ratings are combined under 38 CFR 4.25.