Body system: Respiratory SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97
Histoplasmosis of the lung is a fungal infection caused by inhaling Histoplasma capsulatum spores (from soil contaminated by bird or bat droppings), endemic to the central and eastern United States, particularly the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. The VA rates this condition under the General Rating Formula for Mycotic Lung Disease (38 CFR § 4.97) from 0% to 100%: 100% with persistent fever, weight loss, night sweats, or massive hemoptysis; 50% requiring chronic suppressive antifungal therapy with no more than minimal symptoms; 30% with minimal symptoms but no need for suppressive therapy; 0% for healed inactive lesions.
Rating levels
- 100% — You have a long-term fungal lung infection (chronic pulmonary mycosis) that causes serious ongoing symptoms like fever that won't go away, significant weight loss, heavy night sweats, or coughing up large amounts of blood (massive hemoptysis). These symptoms show that the infection is severely affecting your health and daily functioning.
- 50% — You have a long-term lung infection caused by a fungus that requires ongoing medication to keep it under control. Your symptoms are very mild and limited to occasional coughing up of blood (hemoptysis) or coughing up mucus or phlegm, but these symptoms don't significantly interfere with your daily activities.
- 30% — You have a long-term fungal lung infection that causes mild symptoms like occasionally coughing up small amounts of blood (hemoptysis) or coughing up mucus or phlegm on a regular basis. These symptoms are present but don't severely limit your daily activities or breathing function.
- 0% — You have had histoplasmosis (a fungal lung infection) in the past, but the infection has completely healed and is no longer active. You experience no symptoms from this previous infection - no breathing problems, cough, chest pain, or other respiratory issues related to the histoplasmosis.