TNF and malaria: Much of the symptoms of malaria attacks such as fever, nausea, headaches, and others are the consequences of the inflammatory response orchestrated by the cells of the innate immune system, stimulated by parasites or their products at the rupture of the late stage infected erythrocytes.25,27 An imbalance between the production of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL6, IL1β, or IL-10 or mediators, like nitric oxide, may contribute to the pathogenesis of the severe form of the disease.