Tue Jul 23, 6:18 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chris Matthews, host of the MSNBC talk show "Hardball," has been hospitalized with malaria, which he may have contracted during one of his recent trips to Africa or the Middle East.
He is expected to recover and leave Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington by week's end and return to the screen next week. Mike Barnicle has been filling in as host of the nightly political talk show since Matthews entered the hospital late Monday.
"He felt fatigued, sweaty and exhausted yesterday and went into the hospital," said MSNBC spokeswoman Cheryl Daly. "He's doing fine."
She said Matthews traveled to Israel in May and Africa last December, but it was unclear where he may have contracted the disease.
The fast-talking Matthews recently had his contract at MSNBC extended to 2009, and the show last week moved from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
