Although elevated levels of cytokines like IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 characterize acute CM [10] and correlate with disease severity in both adults and children [11–13], elevated levels of IL-10 and TNF are characteristic of severe malarial anaemia (SMA) and high parasitaemia in young African children [14–17]. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and cutaneous mastocytosis.