I've returned to Canada after a five week stay with my wife in Thailand, plus a few days in Laos. A couple of days after I arrived back in Canada, I developed a bad fever overnight. That was just over a week ago. It lasted about ten hours, but my whole body was burning hot. The only thing, it doesn't sound like the symptoms for malaria. It was a dry heat, with no sweating, no chills, and no aching joints. After the fever, I just felt like resting for the day, and next day I was fine. My doctor is concerned it might be malaria though, and is sending me to a specialist, but with the slow healthcare service in Canada, it may take weeks or longer, to find the results.

Question: Shouldn't the other symptoms I mentioned be evident during my attack with the fever?

I've returned to Canada after a five week stay with my wife in Thailand, plus a few days in Laos. A couple of days after I arrived back in Canada, I developed a bad fever overnight. That was just over a week ago. It lasted about ten hours, but my whole body was burning hot. The only thing, it doesn't sound like the symptoms for malaria. It was a dry heat, with no sweating, no chills, and no aching joints. After the fever, I just felt like resting for the day, and next day I was fine. My doctor is concerned it might be malaria though, and is sending me to a specialist, but with the slow healthcare service in Canada, it may take weeks or longer, to find the results.

Question: Shouldn't the other symptoms I mentioned be evident during my attack with the fever?

I went to a specialist a few weeks ago. He said the symptoms didn't sound like malaria. He said there was a one in a hundred chance I may have contracted dengue fever. More than likely he said I picked up a virus on the plane. It took five weeks to get the result of the blood test here in Canada. I was one of the lucky ones. No malaria, no dengue fever.

Question: Shouldn't the other symptoms I mentioned be evident during my attack with the fever?

I went to a specialist a few weeks ago. He said the symptoms didn't sound like malaria. He said there was a one in a hundred chance I may have contracted dengue fever. More than likely he said I picked up a virus on the plane. It took five weeks to get the result of the blood test here in Canada. I was one of the lucky ones. No malaria, no dengue fever.

This is how people die from malaria (and several per year do in Europe alone). Coming from Thailand and Laos (you did not say if you were in an area where exposure was likely) your chances were probably less than coming from Africa.

Generally, if you return after a visit to a known high endemic area and have a high fever or "flu-like" symptoms, even if you had been taking prophylaxis, the safest is to assume malaria until proven otherwise. Medical practitioners in countries where no malaria occurs, seldom keep that in mind unless they are made aware of your travels. Even then, diagnostic capabilities are usually not that great.

If this had been malaria, the blood test result in this case, would have been known posthumously...

the only real way to find out if its malaria is to take the blood when you are in full fever. thats when the nasty little parasites are having a party in your blood stream.

the symptoms of malaria are as follows (speaking from personal experience):

fevers of 40 degrees or higher (i once was 41.5 under my arm)

headaches like you wouldnt believe

aching all over

chills so bad that you need a heater on with about 5 blankets to get ANY relief at all

enlarged liver (i could feel mine externally)

your poo turns yellow to white

insatiable thirst

god...there are a million more, but the first time i had it i was not diagnosed at all. apparently the first time its hard to pick up. the second time is easier they say.

the only real way to find out if its malaria is to take the blood when you are in full fever. thats when the nasty little parasites are having a party in your blood stream.

the symptoms of malaria are as follows (speaking from personal experience):

fevers of 40 degrees or higher (i once was 41.5 under my arm)

headaches like you wouldnt believe

aching all over

chills so bad that you need a heater on with about 5 blankets to get ANY relief at all

enlarged liver (i could feel mine externally)

your poo turns yellow to white

insatiable thirst

god...there are a million more, but the first time i had it i was not diagnosed at all. apparently the first time its hard to pick up. the second time is easier they say.

Hi Donna:

I had the fever just once, that I mentioned when I first returned from the trip. High temperature in the whole body, no chills, no change in bathroom habits. Fever ended after approx. 12 hours.