Chills are that feeling of coldness occurring during a fever.
It is caused by the release of cytokines and prostaglandins as part of the inflammatory response that increases the set point for the regulation of body temperature in the hypothalamus. As this set point is increased it results in an increase in body temperature (pyrexia) – this makes people feel cold or chills until the new set point is reached.
Shivering can also occur with chills as the body produces heat during muscle contraction in a physiological attempt to increase body temperature to the new set point.
Severe chills with violent shivering are called rigors.
Causes of chills:
eg influenza; malaria
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