[crabLouse]

Since the driver of the selection against the related gene seems to be malaria, I wonder if this is linked to prevalence of body hair on human ancestors.

Bug bites on hairless skin probably had something to do with dying of disease, and the early homonids that had the gene seem to be the ones hit the hardest.

We also see evolutionary markers related to bed bugs, head lice and body lice. Maybe mosquitos and genes linked to a possible malaria pandemic offer more clues.

[fragmede]

Malaria is a fascinating one, with the prevalence of sickle cell anemia and G6PD blood deficiency in some populations with high exposure. Both of those cause health issues but they both confer some level of resistance to malaria.

[baddox]

Isn’t the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis also linked to malaria resistance?

Edit: apparently it might be linked to a resistance to cholera.

[hirenj]

As far as I remember, malaria comes in via glycosaminoglycans, and not our sialylated glycans. It could very well be related to our symbiosis with bacteria however.

Edit: I forgot the earlier work demonstrating Plasmodium specificity to NeuGc, so yeah maybe malaria!