We will describe published evidence suggesting that: 1) BK is generated during malaria infection; 2) BK is a potential causal agent of vascular leakage in humans and experimental animals with severe malaria, including CM; 3) A cysteine protease expressed by Pf parasites directly generates BK from HK; 4) BK has direct anti-plasmodium activity. This evidence concerns the gene KNG1 and malaria.