What can I claim secondary to tuberculosis?
16 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list tuberculosis as a factor. If DVA has accepted your tuberculosis, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionTuberculosis
- Conditions it may open16
- SourceRMA SoPs
- Chart Review$600 + GST
How a secondary claim works
Some Statement of Principles factors are not about service at all — they name another condition. Where DVA has already accepted your tuberculosis, and another condition's SoP lists tuberculosis as a factor, that part of the next claim is already established on your file. How a secondary claim works, in full →
Conditions that list tuberculosis as a factor
Quoted from the instrument. A pathway existing is not the same as a claim succeeding — each factor carries thresholds your record has to satisfy.
Arachnoid cyst
RH No. 11 of 2025 · BoP No. 12 of 2025
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (12): “having one of the following infections before clinical onset or clinical worsening: (a) bacterial infection of the brain or spinal cord, including abscess; (b) bacterial, viral or fungal meningitis; (c) cranial or spinal tuberculosis; (d) neurosyphilis” [onset and worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (9): “having one of the following infections before clinical onset or clinical worsening: (a) bacterial infection of the brain or spinal cord, including abscess; (b) bacterial meningitis; (c) cranial or spinal tuberculosis; (d) neurosyphilis” [onset and worsening]
Bronchiectasis
RH No. 30 of 2017 · BoP No. 31 of 2017
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “having pulmonary tuberculosis or non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection of the lung, before the clinical onset of bronchiectasis” [clinical onset] — factor (25): “having pulmonary tuberculosis or non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection of the lung before the clinical worsening of bronchiectasis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (3): “having pulmonary tuberculosis before the clinical onset of bronchiectasis” [clinical onset] — factor (17): “having pulmonary tuberculosis or non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection of the lung before the clinical worsening of bronchiectasis” [worsening]
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
RH No. 17 of 2023 · BoP No. 18 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (11): “having pulmonary tuberculosis at least 1 year before the clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [clinical onset] — factor (26): “having pulmonary tuberculosis at least 1 year before the clinical worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (10): “having pulmonary tuberculosis at least 1 year before the clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [clinical onset] — factor (24): “having pulmonary tuberculosis at least 1 year before the clinical worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [worsening]
Note: pulmonary tuberculosis is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Deep vein thrombosis
RH No. 35 of 2021 · BoP No. 36 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (16): “having active tuberculosis disease within the 30 days before the clinical onset of deep vein thrombosis” [clinical onset]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Note: active tuberculosis disease is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Duodenal ulcer and duodenal erosion
RH No. 49 of 2024 · BoP No. 50 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “having an infection of the duodenal mucosa by one of the following organisms: (a) Anisakis simplex (causing anisakiasis); (b) cytomegalovirus; (c) herpes simplex virus; (d) fungi (such as Candida species or Histoplasma capsulatum); (e) Helicobacter heilmannii; (f) Mycobacterium tuberculosis; (g) Strongyloides stercoralis (causing strongyloidiasis); or (h) Treponema pallidum infection (causing syphilis); at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (2): “having an infection of the duodenal mucosa by one of the following organisms: (a) cytomegalovirus; (b) herpes simplex virus; (c) fungi (such as Candida species or Histoplasma capsulatum); (d) Helicobacter heilmannii; (e) Mycobacterium tuberculosis; (f) Strongyloides stercoralis (causing strongyloidiasis); at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Hodgkin lymphoma
RH No. 70 of 2023 · BoP No. 71 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having an active tuberculosis disease before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (8): “having an active tuberculosis disease before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma” [clinical onset]
Note: active tuberculosis disease is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection
RH No. 5 of 2019 · BoP No. 6 of 2019
Balance of Probabilities — factor (4): “having tuberculosis at the time of the clinical worsening of human immunodeficiency virus infection” [worsening]
This condition has a Balance of Probabilities instrument only, so the same test applies whatever your service type.
Mesenteric panniculitis
RH No. 49 of 2018
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (1): “having an abdominal infection with tuberculosis or atypical mycobacteria at the time of clinical onset of mesenteric panniculitis” [clinical onset] — factor (2): “having an abdominal infection with tuberculosis or atypical mycobacteria at the time of clinical worsening of mesenteric panniculitis” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Myocarditis
RH No. 17 of 2024 · BoP No. 18 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (5): “having tuberculosis before clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (5): “having tuberculosis before clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Otitis media
RH No. 62 of 2022 · BoP No. 63 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (9): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset] — factor (24): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (9): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset] — factor (21): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Pericarditis
RH No. 90 of 2023 · BoP No. 91 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (11): “having tuberculosis before the clinical onset or clinical worsening of pericarditis” [onset and worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (11): “having tuberculosis before the clinical onset or clinical worsening of pericarditis” [onset and worsening]
Portal vein thrombosis
RH No. 107 of 2022 · BoP No. 108 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (11): “having active tuberculosis disease involving the abdomen at the time of the clinical onset of portal vein thrombosis” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (10): “having active tuberculosis disease involving the abdomen at the time of the clinical onset of portal vein thrombosis” [clinical onset]
Note: active tuberculosis disease is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Pulmonary thromboembolism
RH No. 37 of 2021 · BoP No. 38 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (13): “having active tuberculosis disease within the 30 days before the clinical onset of pulmonary thromboembolism” [clinical onset]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Note: active tuberculosis disease is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Retinal vascular occlusion
RH No. 50 of 2020 · BoP No. 51 of 2020
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (15): “having an ocular or orbital infection involving the affected eye within the 30 days before the clinical onset of retinal vascular occlusion; (a) cat scratch disease; (b) herpes zoster ophthalmicus; (c) ocular tuberculosis; and (d) orbital abscess or cellulitis” [clinical onset] — factor (37): “having an ocular or orbital infection involving the affected eye within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of retinal vascular occlusion; (a) cat scratch disease; (b) herpes zoster ophthalmicus; (c) ocular tuberculosis; and (d) orbital abscess or cellulitis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (14): “having an ocular or orbital infection involving the affected eye within the 30 days before the clinical onset of retinal vascular occlusion; (a) cat scratch disease; (b) herpes zoster ophthalmicus; (c) ocular tuberculosis; and (d) orbital abscess or cellulitis” [clinical onset] — factor (34): “having an ocular or orbital infection involving the affected eye within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of retinal vascular occlusion; (a) cat scratch disease; (b) herpes zoster ophthalmicus; (c) ocular tuberculosis; and (d) orbital abscess or cellulitis” [worsening]
Note: Examples of an ocular or orbital infection include:.
Sensorineural hearing loss
RH No. 98 of 2019 · BoP No. 99 of 2019
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (15): “having tuberculosis of the meninges, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side, before the clinical onset of sensorineural hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (50): “having tuberculosis of the meninges, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side, before the clinical worsening of sensorineural hearing loss” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (15): “having tuberculosis of the meninges, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side, before the clinical onset of sensorineural hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (43): “having tuberculosis of the meninges, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side, before the clinical worsening of sensorineural hearing loss” [worsening]
Tinnitus
RH No. 84 of 2020 · BoP No. 85 of 2020
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (32): “having tuberculosis involving the nasopharynx, meninges, temporal bone, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side before the clinical onset of tinnitus” [clinical onset] — factor (70): “having tuberculosis involving the nasopharynx, meninges, temporal bone, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side before the clinical worsening of tinnitus” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (27): “having tuberculosis involving the nasopharynx, meninges, temporal bone, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side before the clinical onset of tinnitus” [clinical onset] — factor (58): “having tuberculosis involving the nasopharynx, meninges, temporal bone, middle ear or inner ear of the affected side before the clinical worsening of tinnitus” [worsening]
Other accepted conditions that also open arachnoid cyst
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions tuberculosis does.
What DVA means by tuberculosis
A claim is tested against the definition first. If the diagnosis on your file does not meet this wording, the factors below never get reached — so it is worth checking that what your doctor wrote matches what the instrument requires.
Tuberculosis, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, tuberculosis: (a) means an infection caused by bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis, M. africanum, M. canettii, M. caprae, M. microti, M. orygis, M. pinnipedi and M. bovis (including Bacille Calmette-Guérin); and (b) includes: (i) latent tuberculosis; (ii) pulmonary tuberculosis; and (iii) extrapulmonary tuberculosis; and (c) excludes infection caused by atypical mycobacteria such as M. avium, M. intracellulare, M. kansasii, M. marinum and M. ulcerans.
Note the exclusion. This instrument expressly excludes infection caused by atypical mycobacteria such as M. A diagnosis of that is not a diagnosis of tuberculosis, and a claim framed the wrong way fails on the definition before any factor is considered.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(6) to 9(19) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, tuberculosis where it was already present before or during service. If service caused tuberculosis outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 47 of 2024 · BoP No. 48 of 2024 · 16 factors
What could support a claim for tuberculosis?
The Statement of Principles for tuberculosis names 6 other conditions among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a tuberculosis claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Malignant neoplasm of the bladder
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (4): “for active tuberculosis disease due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis BCG only: (a) having intravesical BCG therapy for malignant neoplasm of the bladder; or (b) being vaccinated with BCG vaccine; before the clinical onset of tuberculosis” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (4): “for active tuberculosis disease due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis BCG only: (a) having intravesical BCG therapy for malignant neoplasm of the bladder; or (b) being vaccinated with BCG vaccine; before the clinical onset of tuberculosis” [clinical onset]
Cirrhosis of the liver
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (8): “having cirrhosis of the liver at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (8): “having cirrhosis of the liver at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Diabetes mellitus
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (9): “having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (9): “having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Alcohol use disorder
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (16): “having alcohol use disorder at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (14): “having alcohol use disorder at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (17): “having systemic lupus erythematosus before the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Hepatitis C
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (18): “having hepatitis C infection at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (15): “having hepatitis C infection at the time of the clinical worsening of tuberculosis” [worsening]
Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins
Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →
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