Addition of 100 nM ABA to a P. falciparum-infected blood meal had no effect on phosphorylation of ERK, JNK or p38 MAPK relative to controls (Fig. 3, Additional file 1: Figure S1), but ABA treatment rapidly increased phosphorylation of TAK1 with a significant 3-fold mean increase occurring within 30 min post-infection (t = 1.804, df = 9, P = 0.05) (Fig. 4a, Additional file 1: Figure S1). The gene discussed is MAPK8; the disease is infection.