Why does malaria cause chills?

Chills is a very common presentation of Malaria. During a temperature rise, the brain may signal that the body is colder than its target temperature, even when the room feels warm. Muscles then contract quickly to generate heat, causing shaking or rigors. A fever may follow, and later sweating can occur as the temperature falls. Chills also occur with many other infections and non-infectious illnesses, so they do not establish malaria without a medical assessment and appropriate testing.

Rest, sip fluids if you can keep them down, and record the timing of chills, fever, headache, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Tell a clinician about recent travel, overnight stays, mosquito bites, and any malaria prevention medicine used. Do not rely on symptom patterns alone or take leftover antimalarial medicine without medical guidance; the right test and treatment plan depend on the situation. Avoid driving yourself if you are faint, confused, or too weak to travel safely.

Get urgent medical assessment for fever or chills after travel to an area where malaria occurs, particularly if you feel markedly unwell. Seek emergency help for confusion, collapse, seizures, difficulty breathing, severe headache, repeated vomiting, or inability to drink. Young children, pregnant people, older adults, and people with a weakened immune system should be assessed promptly when fever and chills develop.

Ask whether malaria testing is needed now, whether it may need repeating if symptoms continue, and which other infections are being considered. It is also useful to ask what symptoms should prompt emergency care while waiting for results.