38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.88b

Lymphatic filariasis — VA Diagnostic Code 6305

Infectious / immune

Diagnostic code

6305

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38 CFR § 4.88b lists Diagnostic Code 6305 as “Lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.” The code says to evaluate under the General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases. The note’s examples are epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, or lymphedema affecting extremities, genitals, and/or breasts. Section 3.309(b) lists “Filariasis.” It does not print the words lymphatic or elephantiasis.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.88b source note prints 61 FR 39875, July 31, 1996, as amended at 84 FR 28230, June 18, 2019.

The rating criteria at each level

General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases — DC 6305 says to evaluate under this formula

Rating %: 100

Criteria (verbatim). For active disease

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). After active disease has resolved, rate at 0 percent for infection. Rate any residual disability of infection within the appropriate body system.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
100	For active disease
—	After active disease has resolved, rate at 0 percent for infection. Rate any residual disability of infection within the appropriate body system.

Note: Rate under the appropriate body system any residual disability of infection, which includes, but is not limited to, epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, or lymphedema affecting extremities, genitals, and/or breasts.

DC 6305’s own row does not print a percentage. It says: “Evaluate under the General Rating Formula.” The second line of the General Rating Formula does not print a number in the rating column. The words “rate at 0 percent” are inside the criteria cell. The cell also says to rate any residual disability of infection within the appropriate body system. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

The note says “including, but is not limited to.” The examples use “or” among epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, and lymphedema. The lymphedema clause says “extremities, genitals, and/or breasts.”

The opening note of § 4.88b says to rate any residual disability of infection within the appropriate body system as indicated by the notes in the evaluation criteria. It then says, as applicable, to consider the long-term health effects potentially associated with infectious diseases as listed in § 3.317(d), specifically Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), Malaria, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral Leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus. Filariasis and elephantiasis are not in that list.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.88b, Diagnostic Code 6305, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

The list says filariasis. The title adds two words.

Section 3.309(b) says “Filariasis.” The schedule title is “Lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.” Elephantiasis is inside that title. It is not a separate § 3.309(b) name. The Part 4 appendices that name lymphatic filariasis also cite DC 6305.

The formula still uses “For active disease”

The 100 percent line is the formula’s line, not a percentage printed on the DC 6305 row itself. The resolved-infection line has an empty rating column and says to rate at 0 percent for the infection.

Residuals are examples

Epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, and lymphedema are the note’s examples. The note sends them to the appropriate body system. It does not print a second filariasis percentage for those findings.

Evidence that speaks to each level

100 — for active disease

What the rater needs to see. Active disease under the formula. The schedule title is lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.

Where that usually lives. The record that describes active disease.

Residuals

What the rater needs to see. A residual disability of infection. The note’s examples are epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, or lymphedema affecting extremities, genitals, and/or breasts.

Where that usually lives. The examination of the body system used for that residual.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
100 — for active disease	Active disease under the formula. The schedule title is lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.	The record that describes active disease.
Residuals	A residual disability of infection. The note’s examples are epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, or lymphedema affecting extremities, genitals, and/or breasts.	The examination of the body system used for that residual.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Infectious Diseases (other than HIV-related illness chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis)” under Infectious Diseases. The file is Infectious Diseases (other than HIV-related illness chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis). The public list prints that title without commas between “HIV-related illness,” “chronic fatigue syndrome,” and “tuberculosis.”

The exam form

DC 6305 says to evaluate under the General Rating Formula and prints a residual note. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Elephantiasis is in the schedule title

The words “to include elephantiasis” are part of DC 6305. Section 3.309(b) does not print them. The tropical-disease row for filariasis points at this code because it is the schedule title that uses the word filariasis.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

38 CFR § 3.309(b) says the listed tropical diseases shall be granted service connection as a result of tropical service, although not otherwise established as incurred in service if manifested to a compensable degree within the applicable time limits under § 3.307 or § 3.308 following service in a period of war or following peacetime service, provided the rebuttable presumption provisions of § 3.307 are also satisfied. The paragraph also covers resultant disorders or diseases originating because of therapy administered in connection with such diseases or as a preventative thereof. “Filariasis” is one of the names.

38 CFR § 3.307(a)(4) says a tropical disease must have become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within 1 year from date of separation from service as specified in paragraph (a)(2), or at a time when standard accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period commenced during such service. 38 CFR § 3.307(a)(1) says the veteran must have served 90 days or more during a war period or after December 31, 1946. The same paragraph then says any period of service is sufficient for a specified disease under the conditions listed in § 3.309(c) and (e). That sentence does not name § 3.309(b). 38 CFR § 3.308(b) applies to a veteran of 6 months or more of peacetime service before January 1, 1947 who contracts a tropical disease listed in § 3.309(b). It uses “standard and accepted treatises.” Section 3.307(a)(4) uses “standard accepted treatises.” The text of § 3.308 does not print the disease name. It reaches the condition by naming a tropical disease listed in § 3.309(b).

Section 3.309(a) does not name filariasis. Section 3.309(c) does not name it. The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309(e) does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.309(f) does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.309(d) does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.320 does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.320a does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.320b does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.316 does not name filariasis. 38 CFR § 3.317 does not name filariasis.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for DC 6305?

Under 38 CFR § 4.88b, lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis, is evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases. Active disease is 100 percent. Residuals are rated under the appropriate body system. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does § 3.309(b) use the words “lymphatic filariasis”?

It says “Filariasis.” The schedule title at DC 6305 is “Lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.”

FAQ

How does VA rate lymphatic filariasis under DC 6305?

The code says to evaluate under the General Rating Formula for Infectious Diseases. Active disease is 100 percent. After active disease has resolved, the formula says to rate at 0 percent for the infection and to rate residuals under the appropriate body system. The note’s examples include epididymitis, lymphangitis, lymphatic obstruction, and lymphedema. Education only.

Where does elephantiasis appear?

In the schedule title: “Lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis.” Section 3.309(b) says “Filariasis” and does not print elephantiasis.

Which presumption lists filariasis?

Section 3.309(b), with the time limits in § 3.307(a)(4) or § 3.308. Section 3.317 does not name filariasis. The opening note of § 4.88b does not name it among the § 3.317(d) diseases.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6305 and for the body-system code used for any residual.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other codes in this schedule are on the infectious-disease diagnostic-code index.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Infectious / immune, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Infectious / immune codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6305 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.