QUESTION

WHILE IN VIETNAM, I HAD VIVAX AND FACIPRIUM MALARIA. THE OLDER I GET I COME DOWN WITH THE CHILLS, FEVER AND PROFUSE SWEATING. BLOOD TEST NEVER DOES SHOW ANY MALARIA BUT DOES SHOW THE VIVAX ANTIBODIES. DOES THIS MEAN I STILL HAVE MALARIA OR HOW LONG DO THE ANTIBODIES REMAIN IN MY BODY AND WHY NO MALARIA CELLS?

ANSWER

Antibodies to malaria can persist in the body for years after the malaria infection, so if blood tests are not showing up malaria parasites but do show you have antibodies, then you probably don’t have malaria now, and it is just showing that you once had malaria, but it could have been many years ago. You should talk to your doctor about other possible infections that might be causing your symptoms.