Parasite biomass, measured as concentration of plasma HRP2 (a biomarker of sequestered and circulating parasites) has previously been correlated with malaria severity and progression to CM [13, 32], and it is this sequestration that is thought to directly or indirectly contribute to CM pathogenesis through activation of the inflammasome pathway in endothelial cells [33] and possibly by inducing endothelial barrier disruption [34]. Here, HDGFL2 is linked to malaria.