Human leukocyte antigen ( HLA ) genes play a key role in the immune response to infectious diseases, some of which are highly prevalent in specific environments, like malaria in sub‐Saharan Africa. Former case–control studies showed that one particular HLA ‐B allele, B*53, was associated with malaria protection in Gambia, but this hypothesis was not tested so far within a population genetics framework. In this study, our objec...