Infectious Diseases
Veterans who were deployed to Southwest Asia (including Iraq) or Afghanistan may experience symptoms of infectious diseases while on active duty, or they may later develop symptoms of infectious diseases that were contracted overseas.
If you are concerned about infectious diseases related to military service, talk to your health care provider or contact your local VA Environmental Health Coordinator to help you get more information from a health care provider.
VA offers a variety of health care benefits to eligible Veterans. Not enrolled in the VA health care system? Find out if you qualify for VA health care.
Diseases related to Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan service
VA presumes that the nine infectious diseases listed below are related to military service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations during the Gulf War, August 2, 1990 to present, and in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001. Veterans must have the diseases within the time frames shown below and have a current disability as a result of that disease in order to receive disability compensation.
- Malaria
An infectious disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms include chills, fever, and sweats. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation or at a time when standard or accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period began during a qualifying period of military service.
- Brucellosis
A bacterial disease with symptoms such as profuse sweating and joint and muscle pain. The illness may be chronic and persist for years. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
- Campylobacter Jejuni
A disease with symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
- Coxiella Burnetii (Q Fever)
A bacterial disease with symptoms such as fever, severe headache, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. In chronic cases, the illness may cause inflammation of the heart. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
An illness that primarily affects the lungs and causes symptoms such as chest pain, persistent cough (sometimes bloody), weight loss and fever.
- Nontyphoid Salmonella
A condition characterized by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Shigella
A condition characterized by symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Visceral Leishmaniasis
A parasitic disease characterized by symptoms such as fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anemia.
- West Nile Virus
A disease spread by mosquitoes characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain or weakness, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms may range from mild to severe. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
Infectious Diseases
Veterans may have contracted illnesses caused by bacteria or parasites while deployed.
Veterans who were deployed to Southwest Asia (including Iraq) or Afghanistan may experience symptoms of infectious diseases while on active duty, or they may later develop symptoms of infectious diseases that were contracted overseas. Additionally, Veterans who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and ingested freshwater fish may have been infected with parasitic worms called liver flukes.
Southwest Asia, South-Central Asia
Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) / Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) / Operation New Dawn (OND)
1962-1971, 1990-1991, 2011-present
- Veterans who served during the Vietnam War and experienced liver fluke infection from consuming raw freshwater fish may be at risk for long-term illness. Once eaten, liver flukes grow to adulthood inside the human biliary duct system. The irritation and scarring caused by liver fluke infection can lead to bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma).
- Veterans who deployed to Southwest Asia during the Gulf War or the recent conflicts may have been exposed to bacteria and/or parasites that caused infections, potentially with prolonged effects.
- Veterans who deployed to Southwest Asia or Afghanistan during OEF/OIF/OND may have been exposed to rabies if bitten by a warm-blooded animal.
- Infectious Diseases webpage
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/infectious-diseases/index.asp
- Rabies webpage
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/rabies/index.asp
- Liver Flukes webpage
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/infectious-diseases/cholangiocarcinoma.asp
- APHC - Malaria Fact Sheet
- https://phc.amedd.army.mil/PHC%20Resource%20Library/FalciparumMalariaFS_18-073-0216.pdf
- CDC - Tuberculosis Fact Sheet
- https://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/general/tb.pdf
Get a Registry Evaluation
- Environmental Health Coordinator
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp
- Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) / Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) / Operation New Dawn (OND) Team
- https://www.oefoif.va.gov/map.asp
Contact your local https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp, https://www.oefoif.va.gov/map.asp, or VA Primary Care Team about getting a registry evaluation.
WRIISC Link
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC)
- https://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/referral/index.asp
For evaluation for difficult-to-diagnose conditions, contact your local https://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/referral/index.asp.
Infectious Disease Presumption
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/infectious_diseases.asp
Gulf War Veterans with the following presumptive illnesses do not need to prove a connection with their military service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations. They may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a service-connected condition and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. These conditions include:
Infectious diseases are related to military service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations during the first Gulf War starting August 2, 1990, through the conflict in Iraq and on or after September 19, 2001, in Afghanistan. Veterans must have the diseases within the time frames shown below and have a current disability as a result of that disease in order to receive disability compensation.
- Malaria - An infectious disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms include chills, fever, and sweats. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation or at a time when standard or accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period began during a qualifying period of military service.
- Brucellosis - A bacterial disease with symptoms such as profuse sweating and joint and muscle pain. The illness may be chronic and persist for years. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
- Campylobacter Jejuni - A disease with symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
- Coxiella Burnetii (Q Fever) - A bacterial disease with symptoms such as fever, severe headache, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. In chronic cases, the illness may cause inflammation of the heart. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Mycobacterium Tuberculosis - An illness that primarily affects the lungs and causes symptoms such as chest pain, persistent cough (sometimes bloody), weight loss and fever.
- Nontyphoid Salmonella - A condition characterized by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Shigella - A condition characterized by symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of the date of military separation.
- Visceral Leishmaniasis - A parasitic disease characterized by symptoms such as fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anemia. The condition may be fatal if left untreated.
- West Nile Virus - A disease spread by mosquitoes characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain or weakness, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms may range from mild to severe. It must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year from the date of military separation.
*These conditions are not necessarily associated with any specific exposure, but have been determined to be associated with service in Southwest Asia. The policy also provides compensation for certain infectious diseases.
*For more information, visit:
1990 2100 Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) / Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) Southwest Asia, South-Central Asia
