Body system: Respiratory SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97
Mucormycosis is an aggressive fungal infection caused by Mucorales species, most often affecting immunocompromised patients (especially uncontrolled diabetes with diabetic ketoacidosis, hematologic malignancy, or solid-organ transplant). Pulmonary involvement carries a high mortality without prompt antifungal therapy and surgical debridement. 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% — This criteria applies when you have a chronic fungal lung infection called histoplasmosis that causes severe, ongoing symptoms. You must have at least one of these serious symptoms: persistent fever that won't go away, significant weight loss, night sweats, or massive hemoptysis (coughing up large amounts of blood from your lungs). The infection has become a long-term condition that significantly impacts your health with these severe symptoms.
- 50% — You have a chronic fungal lung infection that requires ongoing medication to keep it under control, but your symptoms are very mild. Your only symptoms might be occasionally coughing up small amounts of blood (hemoptysis) or coughing up mucus or phlegm, and these happen only now and then rather than being constant problems.
- 30% — You have a chronic fungal lung infection with mild symptoms that occur from time to time. These symptoms include occasionally coughing up small amounts of blood (hemoptysis) or coughing up mucus or phlegm (productive cough), but these problems don't significantly interfere with your daily activities.
- 0% — You would receive this rating if you previously had actinomycosis (a bacterial infection that can affect the lungs and other organs) but the infection has completely healed and become inactive. The infected areas (lesions) have recovered and you currently experience no symptoms or problems from the condition.