Which of the following best explains the relationship between sickle cell disease and malaria in human populations?

Eliminate incorrect statements: Sickle cell disease does not directly cause malaria infection, so the statement 'Sickle cell disease directly causes malaria infection in affected individuals' is incorrect. Similarly, individuals with sickle cell disease (HbS/HbS) are not completely immune to malaria; they are often more vulnerable to health complications, so this statement is also incorrect.

Address the inheritance of the sickle cell allele: Malaria infection does not prevent the inheritance of the sickle cell allele. Instead, the selective pressure of malaria in certain regions has led to the persistence of the HbS allele in populations due to the heterozygous advantage.