IPB Students Create an Abnormal Whitish Detection Kit
For some women, whiteness becomes a common problem for them. Such phenomena are often underestimated and ignored. Though one of the signs of infection of female reproductive organs begins from this "lymph". If fatal and slow treated will result in infertility and "yellow light" from cervical cancer that can lead to death.
Generally Indonesian women, especially among adolescents, still feel awkward to check their whitish condition to the hospital. Moreover the cost of examination of female organs is not cheap, about 300 thousand rupiah for one time vaginal swab.
Departing from these concerns, three female students from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), developed the Abnormal Whitening Detection Kit. Through the Student Creativity Program Eksakta (PKM-PE) 2018, Ulfi Firdausi, Dwi Ajeng Budiarti, and Isvina Unai Zahroya, under the guidance of Dr. Ir. Gayuh Rahayu, developed the product of the Abnormal Whitish-Based Detection Kit based on medium Congo Red as the first product in the form of kit that can detect normal or abnormal whitish condition.
One important factor contributing to leucorrhoea is the formation of biofilms. Early detection of biofilm production especially in Candida albicans is very important. Therefore, the three students of Bogor Agricultural University are designing a tool that allows the community, especially women to know the condition whitish by using a simple detection method based on Congo Red Agar (CRA). Congo Red Agar is a solid medium for detecting biofilm production of Candida albicans pathogenis.
The kit is still in the development stage, designing with attractive packaging look, practical use at home and affordable price. Hopefully, this kit is acceptable to women.
"We hope this kit can be used by Indonesian women to raise their awareness of the dangers of abnormal discharge and facilitate them in detecting the condition of abnormality in their whiteness," said Ulfi, Team Leader. (NR)
