Associations of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in IL-18 Gene with Plasmodium falciparum-Associated Malaria

Introduction: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, reported to be involved in the initial immune responses against malaria. Genetic variations in the host are an important factor that influences the etiology of malaria at several disease levels. Polymorphisms within the IL-18 gene are associated with susceptibility and clinical outcome of several diseases. Methods: We genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-18 of patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum with varying extent of parasitemia and different age groups. Results: SNPs rs5744292 (OR = 70.446; 95% CI = 4.318-1149.323; p