The risk allele rs681343(C) (P = 3.51 × 10−30, OR = 1.11) is a synonymous mutation in FUT2 and is in almost complete LD with rs601338(G) (r2 = 0.9993), the ‘secretor’ (se) allele that is associated with higher risk of childhood ear infection in our data. This evidence concerns the gene FUT2 and ear infection.