MIF and leishmaniasis: MIF serum levels are significantly increased in parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and malaria (Awandare et al., 2007[1]; Chaiyaroj et al., 2004[12]), and functional polymorphism of the human MIF gene has been associated with increased susceptibility or severity to inflammatory (de Jong et al., 2001[15]; Renner et al., 2005[29]), autoimmune (Radstake et al., 2005[28]; Sanchez et al., 2006[33]; Stosic-Grujicic et al., 2009[34]), and infectious diseases (Awandare et al., 2006[2]; Gomez et al., 2007[17]).