Rare genetic variants have been shown to be important to the susceptibility of common human diseases. Methods for detecting association of rare genetic variants are drawing much attention. In this report, we applied a gene-based approach to the 200 simulated data sets of unrelated individuals. The test can detect the association of some genes with multiple rare variants.

In a recent report, the cellular receptor CD55 was identified as a molecule essential for the invasion of human erythrocytes by Plasmodium falciparum, the causal agent of the most severe form of malaria. As this invasion process represents a critical step during infection with the parasite, it was hypothesized that genetic variants in the gene could affect severe malaria (SM) susceptibility. We...