Which condition is characterized by alternating fever and chills?

The condition characterized by alternating fever and chills is malaria. This infectious disease is caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. One of the hallmark symptoms of malaria is the cyclical nature of fever and chills, which typically occurs as a result of the parasites' life cycle within the red blood cells. The fever spikes are due to the release of toxins into the bloodstream after the parasites rupture the red blood cells, leading to the distinct pattern of fever followed by chills.

This alternating pattern of symptoms differentiates malaria from other illnesses, such as the flu, which may cause fever but does not typically present with the same cyclical chill- and fever-inducing mechanism. Furthermore, conditions like colds and pneumonia do not generally feature the same alternating fever and chill patterns found in malaria, making it a unique presentation associated with this disease.