Body system: Respiratory SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97DBQ: DBQ RESP Respiratory Conditions (Other than Tuberculosis and Sleep Apnea)
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 rating applies when you have chronic mucormycosis of the lungs (a fungal lung infection) with severe, ongoing symptoms. You must have at least one of these: persistent fever, weight loss, night sweats, or massive hemoptysis (coughing up large amounts of blood from your lungs).
- 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 mucormycosis (a fungal infection) in the lungs, the affected areas (lesions) have healed and become inactive, and you currently have no symptoms from the condition.