Headache and Chills with Malaria

QUESTION

Could a person be infected by malaria without symptoms of headache and chills?

ANSWER

Malaria symptoms vary considerably, depending on the type of malaria, the severity of the infection and the patient’s natural immunity. It is certainly possible for a patient to have malaria without experiencing headache and chills; some people infected with certain forms of malaria, such as Plasmodium malariae, may not even experience severe fever and barely realise they are infected. However, most cases of malaria, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, which is a faster-acting, more severe form of malaria and usually results in fever and chills, often accompanied by headache and nausea.