This reference uses VA rating codes. For a code from a medical record, check ICD-10-CM and the service date. A clinical code alone does not establish a VA rating or a matching VA diagnostic code.
HIV-related illness
Infectious diseases, immune disorders and nutritional deficiencies · 38 CFR § 4.88b
Diagnostic Code 6351 is the VASRD entry for HIV-related illness. VA applies the controlling criteria, shared formulas, and special instructions shown in 38 CFR Part 4. VMC presents this material for education and reference; it does not determine a Veteran's diagnosis, service connection, or evaluation.
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Source-verified VASRD criteria
How VA rates this diagnostic code
These percentages summarize the regulatory criteria already mapped to this diagnostic code. They do not predict a Veteran's individual evaluation or establish service connection.
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
Refractory constitutional symptoms, diarrhea, and pathological weight loss; or minimum rating following development of AIDS-related opportunistic infection or neoplasm
Recurrent constitutional symptoms, intermittent diarrhea, and use of approved medication(s); or minimum rating with T4 cell count less than 200
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
Asymptomatic, following initial diagnosis of HIV infection, with or without lymphadenopathy or decreased T4 cell count
Regulatory notes
- Note 1: In addition to standard therapies and regimens, the term “approved medication(s)” includes treatment regimens and medications prescribed as part of a research protocol at an accredited medical institution.
- Note 2: Diagnosed psychiatric illness, central nervous system manifestations, opportunistic infections, and neoplasms may be rated separately under the appropriate diagnostic codes if a higher overall evaluation results, provided the disability symptoms do not overlap with evaluations otherwise assignable above.
- Note 3: The following list of opportunistic infections are considered AIDS-defining conditions, that is, a diagnosis of AIDS follows if a person has HIV and one more of these infections, regardless of the CD4 count—candidiasis of the bronchi, trachea, esophagus, or lungs; invasive cervical cancer; coccidioidomycosis; cryptococcosis; cryptosporidiosis; cytomegalovirus (particularly CMV retinitis); HIV-related encephalopathy; herpes simplex-chronic ulcers for greater than one month, or bronchitis, pneumonia, or esophagitis; histoplasmosis; isosporiasis (chronic intestinal); Kaposi's sarcoma; lymphoma; mycobacterium avium complex; tuberculosis; pneumocystis jirovecii (carinii) pneumonia; pneumonia, recurrent; progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy; salmonella septicemia, recurrent; toxoplasmosis of the brain; and wasting syndrome due to HIV.
Body system and anatomy metadata
Body system: Infectious diseases, immune disorders and nutritional deficiencies
Anatomy / region tags: systemic non localized
These tags support discovery and body-map compatibility. They do not establish Veteran-specific laterality or entitlement.
Official VA DBQ references
DBQ catalog: va-dbq-2026.09.16 · Retrieved 2026-09-16. Official VA inventory ↗
- HIV-Related Illnesses ↗ Related resourceCatalog category: Infectious Diseases
Related by body system only. No reviewed condition-specific form match or requirement has been established.
- Infectious Diseases (other than HIV-related illness chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis) ↗ Related resourceCatalog category: Infectious Diseases
Related by body system only. No reviewed condition-specific form match or requirement has been established.
- Persian Gulf/Afghanistan Infectious Diseases ↗ Related resourceCatalog category: Infectious Diseases
Related by body system only. No reviewed condition-specific form match or requirement has been established.
- Tuberculosis ↗ Related resourceCatalog category: Infectious Diseases
Related by body system only. No reviewed condition-specific form match or requirement has been established.
- Nutritional Deficiencies ↗ Related resourceCatalog category: Nutrition
Related by body system only. No reviewed condition-specific form match or requirement has been established.
VA maintains some examination forms that are not available for public use. VMC does not infer a one-code-to-one-DBQ relationship.
Evidence information
When reviewing the criteria, useful evidence categories can include diagnosis and treatment records, objective testing identified by the schedule, documented frequency/duration/severity when the criteria use those concepts, and functional effects described in medical or lay evidence. The relevant evidence depends on the actual claim and medical facts.
VMC does not diagnose conditions, guarantee a percentage, or advise anyone to exaggerate symptoms.
Legal basis and source identification
38 CFR § 4.88b · Source current through 2026-08-06 · Verified 2026-08-10
Registry content release: vasrd-registry-2026.08.1