Human populations living in areas of endemic malaria have a selective advantage if they carry:

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The allele for sickle-cell anemia provides a selective advantage in areas of endemic malaria because it confers some immunity against the malaria parasite. People who are heterozygous for the sickle-cell allele have a lower risk of developing severe malaria, which can be life-threatening, compared to individuals who are homozygous for the normal allele. This selective advantage explains why the sickle-cell allele is more frequent in regions where malaria is endemic. The H2 haplotype and the D32 mutation are not known to confer any selective advantage against malaria, and smallpox is a completely different disease that is not related to malaria.

Human Populations Living in Areas of Endemic Malaria Have a Selective