BackgroundAnemia, particularly iron deficiency anemia, is still common among children from resource poor settings. Besides inadequate intake of iron rich foods, lead toxicity may be an important underlying cause for anemia and iron deficiency. However, there are lack of data on lead toxicity and its relation with anemia and iron deficiency.MethodsBlood samples were collected from 225 healthy children at 15 months of age who were participating in a cohort study on malnutrition and interaction with enteric infection (MAL‐ED). Blood was analyzed for leads hemoglobin, plasma ferritin, and transferrin receptor concentrations.ResultsThe prevalence of anemia (Hb <11 g/dl) was 51% and 54% of children were iron deficient as indicated by low ferritin and/or high transferrin receptor concentrations. The mean (SD) blood lead concentration was 12.8 μg/dl (7.6) and 60% of children were having high lead concentrations (>10 μg/dl). Sixty‐three percent of the anemic children had high blood lead concentrations compared with 56% among the non‐anemic children (p=0.2). Similarly, high lead concentration was found among 61% children with iron deficiency and in 54% of the non‐deficient (p=0.2).ConclusionAnemia, iron deficiency and high blood lead concentration was common among healthy infants in Bhaktapur. However, higher lead concentration was not associated with anemia and iron deficiency.Support or Funding InformationThe Etiology, Risk Factors and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development Project (MAL‐ED) is carried out as a collaborative project supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Foundations for the NIH and the National Institute of Health/ Fogarty International Center. The authors thank the staff and participants of the MAL‐ED Network Project for their important contributions.

Introduction: Dermatoglyphic study is undoubtedly the most reliable, convenient and acceptable method of individual identification since the fingerprint pattern persist same throughout the life and no two individ­ual has similar pattern. Both blood group and dermatoglyphic pattern have genetic inheritance so an attempt has been made to analyze their correlation with gender and blood group of an individual. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in 200 students (105 male and 95 female), aged 17to 27 years, with prior knowledge of their blood group, of Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, Nepal. The finger­print patterns of both hands were recorded and patterns were observed. Results: Loop was the most common pattern registering 51.8% followed by whorls, arches and composite in both genders. Frequency of loop was higher in both male and female. Frequency of whorl was comparative­ly higher in male (41.3%) compared to female (38.8%). Similarly arch was more common in female (9.89%) than in male (5.05%).Frequency of loop was highest in all blood groups in both male and female; followed by whorls, arches and composite. Both loops and whorls were highest in individual with O+ blood group. Arch was found to be highest in B+ subjects. Conclusion: There was no significant association between distribution of fingerprint patterns, blood group and gender and thus prediction of gender and blood group of a person is not possible based on his finger­print pattern.