To avoid information bias, this was collected prospectively; the sample analysis was blinded for the presence or absence of infection and the measurement of the effect (presence of infection); the infectious disease physicians using the same diagnostic criteria (according to the IDSA criteria) carried out the analysis; and physicians responsible for the monitoring and diagnosis of infections were masked with respect to the presence of genetic polymorphisms and/or MBL levels. Here, MBL2 is linked to infectious disease.