Compared with the genotype combination of SNPs rs1052176, rs4971072 and rs11264359 (T/G/G as the risk haplotype and G/A/A as the protection haplotype), no significant differences for iron and ferritin were found in healthy individuals or leprosy cases, but a suggestive increase (p = 0.07) of haptoglobin was observed for T/G/G compared to heterozygous haplotypes among cases (S9 Fig). Here, HP is linked to leprosy.