---
title: "DC 6304 - Malaria"
diagnostic_code: "6304"
body_system: "Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders and Nutritional Deficiencies"
cfr_section: "§ 4.88b"
canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-rating-schedule/infectious-and-immune/6304-malaria"
source: "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.88b"
updated: "2026-07-21T20:25:45.752075Z"
---

# DC 6304 - Malaria

Rated under § 4.88b. Body system: Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders and Nutritional Deficiencies.

General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases

## Rating criteria

| Rating | Criteria |
| --- | --- |
| 100% | For active disease |
| 100% | As active disease |
| 100% | As active disease |
| 100% | As active disease |
| 100% | As active disease |
| 100% | Marked mental changes, moist dermatitis, inability to retain adequate nourishment, exhaustion, and cachexia |
| 60% | With all of the symptoms listed below, plus mental symptoms and impaired bodily vigor |
| 40% | With stomatitis, diarrhea, and symmetrical dermatitis |
| 20% | With stomatitis, or achlorhydria, or diarrhea |
| 10% | Confirmed diagnosis with nonspecific symptoms such as: decreased appetite, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness, inability to concentrate and irritability |
| 100% | With congestive heart failure, anasarca, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome |
| 60% | With cardiomegaly, or; with peripheral neuropathy with footdrop or atrophy of thigh or calf muscles |
| 30% | With peripheral neuropathy with absent knee or ankle jerks and loss of sensation, or; with symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, anorexia, dizziness, heaviness and stiffness of legs, headache or sleep disturbance |
| 100% | Marked mental changes, moist dermatitis, inability to retain adequate nourishment, exhaustion, and cachexia |
| 60% | With all of the symptoms listed below, plus mental symptoms and impaired bodily vigor |
| 40% | With stomatitis, diarrhea, and symmetrical dermatitis |
| 20% | With stomatitis, or achlorhydria, or diarrhea |
| 10% | Confirmed diagnosis with nonspecific symptoms such as: decreased appetite, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness, inability to concentrate and irritability |
| 100% | As active disease |
| 0% | As acute or asymptomatic chronic disease |
| 100% | Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809 Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health |
| 60% | Exacerbations lasting a week or more, 2 or 3 times per year |
| 10% | Exacerbations once or twice a year or symptomatic during the past 2 years |
| 100% | AIDS with recurrent opportunistic infections (see Note 3) or with secondary diseases afflicting multiple body systems; HIV-related illness with debility and progressive weight loss |
| 60% | Refractory constitutional symptoms, diarrhea, and pathological weight loss; or minimum rating following development of AIDS-related opportunistic infection or neoplasm |
| 30% | Recurrent constitutional symptoms, intermittent diarrhea, and use of approved medication(s); or minimum rating with T4 cell count less than 200 |
| 10% | Following development of HIV-related constitutional symptoms; T4 cell count between 200 and 500; use of approved medication(s); or with evidence of depression or memory loss with employment limitations |
| 0% | Asymptomatic, following initial diagnosis of HIV infection, with or without lymphadenopathy or decreased T4 cell count |
| 100% | Which are nearly constant and so severe as to restrict routine daily activities almost completely and which may occasionally preclude self-care |
| 60% | Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level; or which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least six weeks total duration per year |
| 40% | Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities from 50 to 75 percent of the pre-illness level; or which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total duration per year |
| 20% | Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities by less than 25 percent of the pre-illness level; or which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least two but less than four weeks total duration per year |
| 10% | Which wax and wane but result in periods of incapacitation of at least one but less than two weeks total duration per year; or symptoms controlled by continuous medication |

## Notes

- Note 1: The diagnosis of malaria, both initially and during relapse, depends on the identification of the malarial parasites in blood smears or other specific diagnostic laboratory tests such as antigen detection, immunologic (immunochromatographic) tests, and molecular testing such as polymerase chain reaction tests.
- Note 2: Rate under the appropriate body system any residual disability of infection, which includes, but is not limited to, liver or splenic damage, and central nervous system conditions.

# Malaria (VA Diagnostic Code 6304)

*Body system: Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders and Nutritional Deficiencies · 38 CFR § 4.88b · Rated under the General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases*

## Understanding Malaria and How the VA Rates It

Malaria is an infectious disease evaluated under VA Diagnostic Code 6304. Under the VA rating schedule, active malaria disease is what drives the primary evaluation, and any lasting effects of the infection are addressed separately.

### How malaria is diagnosed

According to the VA's criteria, the diagnosis of malaria—both when it first appears and during a relapse—depends on identifying malarial parasites in blood smears or through other specific diagnostic laboratory tests. These tests can include:

- Antigen detection
- Immunologic (immunochromatographic) tests
- Molecular testing, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests

### Available Rating Level

For malaria, the rating schedule provides the following evaluation:

| Rating | What It Reflects |
|--------|------------------|
| **100%** | For active disease |

The 100% level applies to active malaria disease.

### Residual disability is rated separately

The VA's criteria note that any residual disability caused by the infection is rated under the appropriate body system. These residuals include, but are not limited to:

- Liver damage
- Splenic (spleen) damage
- Central nervous system conditions

This means that if malaria leaves lasting effects on other parts of the body, those effects are evaluated under the diagnostic codes that apply to those specific systems.

## What the VA Looks For

When evaluating malaria under Diagnostic Code 6304, the VA focuses on:

1. **Laboratory-confirmed diagnosis** — Confirmation of malarial parasites through blood smears or specific diagnostic laboratory tests (antigen detection, immunochromatographic tests, or molecular tests such as PCR), both at initial diagnosis and during any relapse.
2. **Active disease** — Whether the disease is currently active, which supports the 100% evaluation.
3. **Residual conditions** — Any lasting disability from the infection, such as liver or splenic damage or central nervous system conditions, which is evaluated under the relevant body system.

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*This information is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the VA rating criteria for Diagnostic Code 6304. It is not legal or medical advice, and it does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome. Individual evaluations depend on the specific facts and medical evidence in each case.*

Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.88b