Light wave filtration by colored cellophane to optimize microscopic contrast ratio in pulmonary tuberculosis sputum observation

Introduction: Indonesia has the second highest number of Tuberculosis (TB) in world and tuberculosis still pose as a global health priority problem. For diagnostics, microscopy is one important modalities TB diagnosis especially peripheral areas for screening, case-finding, treatment evaluation. The use limited to operator visual burden specimen load. This study aims modify microscope by using everyday item increase workload. Method: This an analytic colored cellophane microscopic examination sputum smear from 24 pulmonary patients Jakarta Surabaya. samples were confirmed positive standardized ZN-AFB and/or Xpert MTB/RIF. Each made into two slides, each slide, 10 oil immersion fields captured Optilab camera mounted on microscope. A total 480 data pairs analysed comparing color characteristic acid-fast bacilli pixels its adjacent background counting Acid fast Bacilli observation field. IUATLD scale also observed 3 operators. Results: Contrast ratio AFB significantly higher groups filter than without (p = 0.001). identification per image acquired not (p=0.815). Conclusion: Colored increases contrast eases examination, thus capability. Also it might capability with digital processing.