38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.97

Nocardiosis — VA Diagnostic Code 6823

Respiratory

Diagnostic code

6823

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38 CFR § 4.97 lists Diagnostic Code 6823 as “Nocardiosis.” The title ends with a period. The rating cell is empty. The same block lists “6822 Actinomycosis.” and “6824 Chronic lung abscess.” Then it prints “General Rating Formula for Bacterial Infections of the Lung (diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824):”. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Nocardiosis.”

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 § 4.97 source note prints 61 FR 46728, Sept. 5, 1996, as amended at 71 FR 28586, May 17, 2006.

The rating criteria at each level

General Rating Formula for Bacterial Infections of the Lung (diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824)

Rating %: 100

Criteria (verbatim). Active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Depending on the specific findings, rate residuals as interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or, when obstructive lung disease is the major residual, as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600).

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
100	Active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis
—	Depending on the specific findings, rate residuals as interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or, when obstructive lung disease is the major residual, as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600).

DC 6823’s own rating cell is empty. The 100 is on the formula line, not beside the word “Nocardiosis.”

The residual line does not print a number. It names three ways to rate residuals: interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) when obstructive lung disease is the major residual.

The formula caption says diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824. DC 6822 is actinomycosis. DC 6824 is chronic lung abscess. Neither of those titles prints its own percentage. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. DC 6823 does not print a 0 percent line. 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 schedule later captions “General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6825 through 6833):”. DC 6825 is diffuse interstitial fibrosis. It also captions “General Rating Formula for Restrictive Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6840 through 6845):”. DC 6845 is chronic pleural effusion or fibrosis, inside that span. DC 6600 is “Bronchitis, chronic:”. The nocardiosis residual line names that code only “when obstructive lung disease is the major residual.”

A different caption, “General Rating Formula for Mycotic Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6834 through 6839):”, is not the bacterial formula. DC 6823 is not in 6834 through 6839. The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “nocardiosis.”

Source: 38 CFR § 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6823 and the General Rating Formula for Bacterial Infections of the Lung, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

One formula covers three codes

The caption names diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824. Actinomycosis, nocardiosis, and chronic lung abscess share that formula. The 100 percent line requires active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis.

The residual line names the next schedule

Residuals are rated as interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or, when obstructive lung disease is the major residual, as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600). The interstitial caption is diagnostic codes 6825 through 6833. The restrictive caption is diagnostic codes 6840 through 6845.

Mycotic lung disease is a different span

The mycotic formula is diagnostic codes 6834 through 6839. Nocardiosis is printed under the bacterial caption, 6822 through 6824.

Evidence that speaks to each level

100 — active infection with systemic symptoms

What the rater needs to see. Active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis. Those examples are in the 100 percent line.

Where that usually lives. The infectious-disease and pulmonary records that document the active infection and those symptoms.

Residuals

What the rater needs to see. The residual line says to rate interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) when obstructive lung disease is the major residual, depending on the specific findings.

Where that usually lives. The pulmonary function testing and the records that identify which residual the findings support.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
100 — active infection with systemic symptoms	Active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis. Those examples are in the 100 percent line.	The infectious-disease and pulmonary records that document the active infection and those symptoms.
Residuals	The residual line says to rate interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) when obstructive lung disease is the major residual, depending on the specific findings.	The pulmonary function testing and the records that identify which residual the findings support.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea).” The file is Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea).

The exam form

DC 6823 uses the bacterial-infection formula. This page does not say the respiratory form replaces that formula or the interstitial, restrictive, or DC 6600 criteria the residual line names.

Related codes and how they interact

Actinomycosis and chronic lung abscess share this formula.

DC 6822 and DC 6824 are the other two codes in the caption “6822 through 6824.” Interstitial lung disease begins at DC 6825. Restrictive lung disease begins at DC 6840. Chronic bronchitis is DC 6600.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of § 3.309 does not contain “nocardiosis.” This page does not add DC 6823 to a presumptive row.

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

How does VA rate nocardiosis under DC 6823?

Under 38 CFR § 4.97, nocardiosis uses the General Rating Formula for Bacterial Infections of the Lung, diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824. Active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis is 100 percent. Residuals are rated as interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) when obstructive lung disease is the major residual. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Which codes share the bacterial lung formula?

The caption names diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824: actinomycosis, nocardiosis, and chronic lung abscess. Education only.

FAQ

What percentage does the nocardiosis formula print?

100 percent for active infection with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis. The residual line does not print a number. It points to interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) when obstructive lung disease is the major residual. Education only.

Is nocardiosis rated on the mycotic lung formula?

The mycotic caption says diagnostic codes 6834 through 6839. The bacterial caption says diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824. DC 6823 is in the bacterial span.

Does DC 6823 print a zero percent line?

No. The formula prints 100 and a residual instruction with an empty rating cell. Section 4.31 is the general rule when a code does not provide a zero percent evaluation and the compensable requirements are not met.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6823, whether it used the 100 percent line, and which residual formula it named.
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 respiratory codes are on the respiratory diagnostic-code index. The category page is respiratory conditions. Chronic bronchitis is the DC 6600 guide.

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 Respiratory, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Respiratory codes

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

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6823 • 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.