GULF WAR PRESUMPTIVE DISEASES: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced 18 MAR he is taking steps to make it easier for veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service during the first Gulf War, as well as those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan on or after Sept. 19, 2001. VA will publish a proposed regulation in the Federal Register to establish new service-connection presumptions for nine specific infectious diseases. Specifically:
· Brucellosis
· Campylobacter jejuni
· Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
· Malaria,
· Mycobacterium tuberculosis
· Nontyphoid Salmonella
· Shigella
· Visceral leishmaniasis
· West Nile virus.
Without a rule change for presumptive conditions, veterans are required to provide medical evidence to establish an actual connection between a specific disease and military service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan. With the proposed rule, a veteran would only have to show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of the nine diseases. A final regulation will be published after a 60-day public comment period. For more information about disability compensation or health problems associated with military service during the first Gulf War and OEF/OIF, go to www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/ or www.va.gov. [Source: Washington Weekly 19 Mar 2010 ++]
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