One of the shared pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis of severe and fatal infections is endothelial and immune activation, which precedes the loss of endothelial integrity, microvascular leakage, multiorgan dysfunction, and ultimately death.31 Markers of these pathways (angiopoietin/receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2 and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1) have been shown to be independent, quantitative markers of disease severity and prognosis in malaria, sepsis, and other infections.31,32. The gene discussed is TEK; the disease is infection.