38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.88b
Tuberculosis, miliary — VA Diagnostic Code 6311
Infectious / immune
Diagnostic code
6311
38 CFR § 4.88b lists Diagnostic Code 6311 as “Tuberculosis, miliary:”. The title ends with a colon. “As active disease” is 100. The next cell says “Inactive disease: See §§ 4.88c and 4.89.” That cell does not print a percentage. Note 1 requires confirmation of recurrence by culture, histopathology, or other diagnostic laboratory testing. Note 2 rates residuals in the appropriate body system. There is no comma before “which” in Note 2. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Tuberculosis, miliary.”
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 § 4.88c source note prints 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969. Redesignated at 59 FR 60902, Nov. 29, 1994. The § 4.89 source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969; 43 FR 45361, Oct. 2, 1978.
The rating criteria at each level
6311 Tuberculosis, miliary
Rating %: 100
Criteria (verbatim). As active disease
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). Inactive disease: See §§ 4.88c and 4.89.
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 100 | As active disease |
| — | Inactive disease: See §§ 4.88c and 4.89. |
§ 4.88c — ratings for inactive nonpulmonary tuberculosis initially entitled after August 19, 1968. DC 6311 points here. These are not a second percentage printed on the active-disease row.
Rating %: 100
Criteria (verbatim). For 1 year after date of inactivity, following active tuberculosis
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). Thereafter: Rate residuals under the specific body system or systems affected.
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 100 | For 1 year after date of inactivity, following active tuberculosis |
| — | Thereafter: Rate residuals under the specific body system or systems affected. |
§ 4.89 — ratings for inactive nonpulmonary tuberculosis in effect on August 19, 1968. DC 6311 also points here.
Rating %: 100
Criteria (verbatim). For 2 years after date of inactivity, following active tuberculosis, which was clinically identified during service or subsequently
Rating %: 50
Criteria (verbatim). Thereafter, for 4 years, or in any event, to 6 years after date of inactivity
Rating %: 30
Criteria (verbatim). Thereafter, for 5 years, or to 11 years after date of inactivity
Rating %: 0
Criteria (verbatim). Thereafter, in the absence of a schedular compensable permanent residual
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 100 | For 2 years after date of inactivity, following active tuberculosis, which was clinically identified during service or subsequently |
| 50 | Thereafter, for 4 years, or in any event, to 6 years after date of inactivity |
| 30 | Thereafter, for 5 years, or to 11 years after date of inactivity |
| 0 | Thereafter, in the absence of a schedular compensable permanent residual |
Note 1: Confirm the recurrence of active infection by culture, histopathology, or other diagnostic laboratory testing.
Note 2: Rate under the appropriate body system any residual disability of infection which includes, but is not limited to, skin conditions and conditions of the respiratory, central nervous, musculoskeletal, ocular, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems and those residuals listed in § 4.88c.
Note 2 has no comma before “which.” The words are “residual disability of infection which includes, but is not limited to,”.
The active-disease cell says “As active disease”. It does not say “For active disease.” It does not say to continue 100 percent beyond cessation of treatment.
Section 4.88c is titled “Ratings for inactive nonpulmonary tuberculosis initially entitled after August 19, 1968.” Its 100 percent line is “For 1 year after date of inactivity, following active tuberculosis”. The thereafter sentence ends with a period. The example in that section says “tuberculosis of the hip joint,” two words, coded 5001-5250.
Section 4.89 opens with Public Law 90-493. The sentence says that law “repealed section 356 of title 38, United States Code which provided graduated ratings for inactive tuberculosis.” There is no comma before “which.” The next sentence says the repealed section still applies to the case of any veteran who on August 19, 1968, was receiving or entitled to receive compensation for tuberculosis. The example in § 4.89 says “tuberculosis of the hipjoint,” one word, coded 5001-5250.
DC 6312 is nontuberculosis mycobacterium infection. Its Note 1 says to continue the rating of 100 percent for the duration of treatment for active disease followed by a mandatory VA exam. That continuation sentence is not printed on DC 6311. DC 6730 and DC 6731 are the pulmonary tuberculosis codes. DC 6515 says to rate tuberculous laryngitis under §§ 4.88c or 4.89, whichever is appropriate.
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. That list says “Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.” It does not say “miliary,” and it does not assign DC 6311.
Source: 38 CFR § 4.88b, Diagnostic Code 6311, 38 CFR § 4.88c, and 38 CFR § 4.89, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.
What the words mean in your records
As active disease, not For active disease
The 100 percent cell on DC 6311 is “As active disease”. The General Rating Formula’s 100 percent line is “For active disease.” DC 6311 does not say to evaluate under that formula.
Hip joint and hipjoint
Section 4.88c’s example is “tuberculosis of the hip joint,” two words. Section 4.89’s example is “tuberculosis of the hipjoint,” one word. Both examples use the code pair 5001-5250.
No six-month sentence on this code
DC 6311’s inactive cell points to §§ 4.88c and 4.89. It does not print the DC 6312 sentence that continues 100 percent for the duration of treatment followed by a mandatory VA exam.
Evidence that speaks to each level
100 — as active disease
What the rater needs to see. Active miliary tuberculosis. The cell says “As active disease”.
Where that usually lives. The records that document active disease. Note 1 names culture, histopathology, or other diagnostic laboratory testing for recurrence.
Inactive disease
What the rater needs to see. The inactive cell says to see §§ 4.88c and 4.89. Section 4.88c is for inactive nonpulmonary tuberculosis initially entitled after August 19, 1968. Section 4.89 retains the former graduated ratings for the August 19, 1968 protective provision the section describes.
Where that usually lives. The inactivity date, and the entitlement facts those two sections name.
VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Infectious Diseases (other than HIV-related illness chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis)” and “Tuberculosis.” The files are Infectious Diseases (other than HIV-related illness chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis) and Tuberculosis.
The exam form
DC 6311 prints 100 for active disease and points inactive disease to §§ 4.88c and 4.89. This page does not say either form chooses between those sections.
Related codes and how they interact
Nontuberculous mycobacterium prints a continuation sentence.
DC 6312 Note 1 continues 100 percent for the duration of treatment for active disease and then requires a mandatory VA exam. DC 6311 does not print that sentence. Its inactive cell is “See §§ 4.88c and 4.89.”
Secondary conditions and presumptions
38 CFR § 3.309(a) lists “Tuberculosis, active.” It does not say “miliary,” and it does not assign DC 6311. 38 CFR § 3.307(a)(3) says the disease must have become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within 1 year, and, for Hansen's disease (leprosy) and tuberculosis, within 3 years. That sentence names tuberculosis. It does not name DC 6311. The opening note of § 4.88b names Mycobacterium Tuberculosis for § 3.317(d) and does not say “miliary.”
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 miliary tuberculosis?
Under 38 CFR § 4.88b, Diagnostic Code 6311 is 100 percent as active disease. Inactive disease says to see §§ 4.88c and 4.89. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.
How do the inactive sections spell the hip example?
Section 4.88c says “tuberculosis of the hip joint,” two words. Section 4.89 says “tuberculosis of the hipjoint,” one word. Both examples are coded 5001-5250.
FAQ
What does DC 6311 print for active miliary tuberculosis?
100, “As active disease”. The cell does not end with a period. The inactive cell says “Inactive disease: See §§ 4.88c and 4.89.” and does not print a percentage. Education only.
Does Note 2 put a comma before “which”?
No. Note 2 says “any residual disability of infection which includes, but is not limited to,”. The comma is after “includes,” not before “which.”
Is “Tuberculosis, active” the same words as this title?
Section 3.309(a) says “Tuberculosis, active.” The schedule title is “Tuberculosis, miliary:”. Section 3.309(a) does not assign DC 6311.
Next steps
- Read the decision for DC 6311, whether the disease was active, and which inactive section it used.
- 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 infectious-disease codes 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
- DC 6302Leprosy (Hansen's Disease)
- DC 6304Malaria
- DC 6305Lymphatic filariasis, to include elephantiasis
- DC 6306Bartonellosis
- DC 6307Plague
- DC 6308Relapsing fever
- DC 6309Rheumatic fever
- DC 6310Syphilis
- DC 6312Nontuberculosis mycobacterium infection
- DC 6313Avitaminosis
- DC 6314Beriberi
- DC 6315Pellagra
- DC 6316Brucellosis
- DC 6317Rickettsial, ehrlichia, and anaplasma infections
- DC 6318Melioidosis
- DC 6319Lyme disease
Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.
Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6311 • 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.