Overall, our results are consistent with reports demonstrating that in humans the non-functional FcγRIIb allele is enriched in regions with malaria and protects from certain cerebral forms of the disease, while simultaneously increasing the risk to develop autoimmune diseases (Clatworthy et al., 2007; Waisberg et al., 2011; Willcocks et al., 2010). Here, FCGR2B is linked to autoimmune disease.