Following an infective bite from the Anopheles mosquito, a period of time (the "incubation period" can vary from 7 to 30 days) goes by before the first symptoms appear. Infection with P. falciparum often leads to short incubation periods.1 Delays between exposure and development of symptoms can result in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis because of reduced clinical suspicion by the healthcare provider.1
1 Center for Disease Control Web site. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/Malaria/. Accessed June 6, 2006.