A2ML1 and infection: 2015). The A2ML1 gene encodes a middle ear‐specific protease inhibitor, a marker for vascular permeability of middle ear mucosa during infection. In another related study on otitis media and the indigenous Filipino population, risk factors such as environmental variables, A2ML1 variant carrier status, and middle ear bacteria were analyzed. Findings have shown that the A2ML1 genotype is the strongest predictor of otitis media occurrence within this population (Santos‐Cortez et al. 2016).