Carriage of the rs17411697 SNP in the gene encoding IL-1α was associated with an increased risk of acidosis (GT or TT vs. GG, OR = 1.681, 95% CI 1.185–2.382, p = 0.0035), whereas carriage of the rs1800890 SNP in the IL-10 gene was associated with a decreased risk of severe malaria (additive T, OR = 0.747, 95% CI 0.588–0.949, p = 0.0165) but not with any of the individual severe malaria syndromes. Here, IL1A is linked to malaria.