Although ZPP can be raised in conditions other than iron deficiency, such as inflammation and some haemoglobinopathies (Thomas et al., 1977; Labbé, 1992; WHO, 2007; Parischa and Drakesmith, 2016), we found that the inclusion of ZPP measurement in this study was helpful in identifying students who were truly iron deficient as confirmed by reduced plasma ferritin and normal CRP concentrations, excluding inflammation. The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is hemoglobinopathy.