PRESUMPTIVE CONDITIONS FOR GULF WAR VETERANS

Presumptive Service-connection means that the VA acknowledges that a condition is service-connected even without direct evidence showing that it was incurred during military service. However, you must still file a claim for these benefits! Sanilac County veterans, please contact our office to file your claim! Below is the list of Presumptive Conditions currently recognized by the VA for Gulf War Service (August 5, 1990 to the present--anywhere in the Southwest Asia area).

A qualifying Chronic Disability means a chronic disability resulting from any of the following (or any combination of the following):

An Undiagnosed Illness
The following medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses that are defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms:
*Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Fibromyalgia
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* Any other illness that the Secretary determines meets the criteria for a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness

Signs or symptoms which may be manifestations of undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness include, but are not limited to:

* Fatigue
* Signs or symptoms involving skin
* Headache
* Muscle pain
* Joint pain
* Neurological signs or symptoms
* Neuropsychological signs or symptoms
* Signs or symptoms involving the respiratory system (upper or lower)
* Sleep disturbances
* Gastrointestinal signs or symptoms
* Cardiovascular signs or symptoms
* Abnormal weight loss
* Menstrual disorders

In March, 2010 the VA proposed new regulations stating that Veterans who service in the Gulf War and have one or more of these following conditions are presumed service-connected. NOTE: With three exceptions, the conditions listed below must have been manifest to a degree of 10% or more within 1 year from the date of military separation.

(1) Malaria must have become manifest to a degree of 10% or more within 1 year from the date of separation or at the time when standard or accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period commenced during a qualifying period of service.

(2) There is no time limit for visceral leishmaniasis to have become manifest to a degree of 10% or more.

(3) There is no time limit for mycobacterium tuberculosis to have become manifest to a degree of 10% or more.

Brucellosis (A bacterial disease with symptoms such as profuse sweating and joint and muscle pain. The illness may be chronic and persist for years.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Arthritis
  - Cardiovascular, nervous, and respiratory system infections
  - Chronic meningitis and meningoencephalitis
  - Deafness
  - Demyelinating meningovascular syndromes
  - Episcleritis
  - Fatigue, inattention, amnesia, and depression
  - Guillain-Barr syndrome
  - Hepatic abnormalities, including granulomatous hepatitis
  - Multifocal choroiditis
  - Myelitis-radiculoneuritis
  - Nummular keratitis
  - Papilledemauritis
  - Optic neuritis
  - Orchioepididymitis and infections of the genitourinary system
  - Sensorineural hearing loss
  - Spondylitis
  - Uveitis
Campylobacter Jejuni (A disease with symptoms such as abdomina pain, diarrhea and fever.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Guillain-Barr Syndrome (if manifest within 2 months of the infection)
  - Reactive Arthritis (if manifest within 3 months of the infection)
  - Uveitis (if manifest within 1 month of the infection)
Coxiella Burnetti (Q-Fever) (A bacterial disease with symptoms such as fever, severe headache, and gast intestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. In chronic cases, the illness may cause inflammation of the heart.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Chronic hepatitis
  - Endocarditis
  - Osteomyelitis
  - Post-Q-fever chronic fatigue syndrome
  - Vascular infection
Malaria (An infectious disease caused by a parasite. Symptoms include chills, fever and sweats.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Demyelinating polyneuropathy
  - Guillain-Barr syndrome
  - Hematologic manifestations (particularly anemia after falciparum malaria and splenic rupture after vivax malaria)
  - Immune-complex glomerulonephritis
  - Neurologic disease, neuropsychiatric disease or both
  - Ophthalmologic manifestations, particularly retinal hemorrhage and scarring
  - Plasmodium falciparum
  - Plasmodium malariae
  - Plasmodium ovale
  - Plasmodium vivax
  - Renal disease, especially nephrotic syndrome
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (An illness that primarily affects the lungs and cuases symptoms such as chest pain, persistent cough (sometimes bloody), weight loss and fever.
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Active tuberculosis
  - Long-term adverse health outcomes due to irreversible tissue damage from severe forms of pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis and active tuberculosis
Nontyphoid Salmonella (A condition characterized by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Reactive arthritis if manifest within 3 months of the infection
Shigella (A condition characterized by symptoms such as fever, diarrhea.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Hemolytic-uremic syndrome if manifest within 1 month of the infection
  - Reactive arthritis if manifest within 3 months of the infection
Visceral Leishmaniasis (A parasitic disease characterized by symptoms such as fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver and anemia. The condition may be fatal if left untreated.)
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Delayed presentation of the acute clinical syndrome.
  - Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis if manifest within 2 years of the infection
  - Reactivation of visceral leishmaniasis in the context of future immunosuppression
West Nile Virus (A disease spread by mosquitoes characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain or weakness, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may range from mild to severe.
- Long-term health effects potentially associated with this infectious disease are:
  - Variable physical, functional or cognitive disability