IRF1 and malaria: In two recent complementary association studies conducted in rural communities and malaria patients of Burkina Faso, we found that IRF1 polymorphisms were associated with the ability to control P. falciparum infection: in adult asymptomatic individuals living in rural villages IRF-1 alleles were associated with a higher prevalence of P. falciparum infection; the same alleles were associated with a higher parasite density in children with uncomplicated and severe malaria [6].