Synthetic Food Coloring as an Alternative to Worm Egg Staining Ascaris lumbricoides

Abstract

Examination of worm eggs is a way of diagnosing helminthiasis by giving 2% eosin as a dye, but this reagent is carcinogenic so an alternative is needed to replace it. Synthetic food coloring (carmoisin CI 14720) can staining worm eggs against a more contrasting background than eosin. The purpose of this study was to determine the synthetic food coloring with a concentration of 1%,2%,3%,4%,5% which can be used as an alternative to 2% eosin in the examination of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. This type of research is observational with a cross sectional research design. Positive stool samples for Ascaris lumbricoides eggs were obtained from the Parasitology Laboratory of the University of Indonesia. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Interclass Correlation Coeficien (ICC) tests. The results of the Anova test showed that there was no difference between 2% eosin and food coloring. The results of the ICC test obtained a value of 0.845, so the dye can be used as an alternative to 2% eosin in the examination of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs.