Povidone–iodine: use in hand disinfection, skin preparation and antiseptic irrigation

Abstract

Iodine and its antibacterial properties have been used for the prevention or management of wound infections for over 150 years. However, the use of solutions (tincture) of iodine has been replaced by the widespread use of povidone-iodine, a water-soluble compound, which is a combination of molecular iodine and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The resultant broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity is well documented and its efficacy, particularly in relation to resistant micro-organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has been shown. In the clinical environment, there is no general agreement regarding the 'best' antiseptic and the practice varies widely. This article reviews the studies that have assessed the efficacy of povidone-iodine in hand disinfection and skin preparation and its use as an antiseptic irrigant. Although there is a distinct lack of well-designed, randomised controlled trials evaluating antiseptic efficacy, selection should be based on the next best available evidence. This evidence suggests that the use of povidone-iodine as an agent of choice is dependent on the clinical need but is also likely to be influenced by personal preference.

Topical Antimicrobial Treatments Can Elicit Shifts to Resident Skin Bacterial Communities and Reduce Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus Competitors

“…This includes residents from the commonly studied genus Staphylococcus, often chosen for its ease of use in culture-based experiments (46,47). In line with these findings, we also observed a decrease in Staphylococcus residents in our sequencing and culture studies.…”

Mechanisms of Methods for Hepatitis C Virus Inactivation

“…It could be observed that longer incubation of HCV with PVP-I resulted in decreased amounts of core protein (data not shown), suggesting that this disinfectant has a direct effect on the viral capsid and therefore simultaneously on the viral envelope. The antimicrobial mechanism of PVP-I has been described as a direct delivery to the bacterial cell membrane, where it rapidly penetrates into the microorganism and targets key groups of proteins, nucleotides, and fatty acids in the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic membrane (38). The antiviral action against viruses has not been extensively studied, but it is likely that iodine attacks the surface proteins of enveloped viruses; it could also destabilize membrane fatty acids by reacting with unsaturated carbon bonds (39).…”

“…Both the actions of Triton X-100 and of PVP-I are thought to occur by targeting of the viral envelope. Triton X-100 is a nonionic surfactant commonly used as a detergent in laboratories that solubilizes proteins of the cell membrane (37), whereas PVP-I is a complex of iodine and a solubilizing carrier, which acts as a reservoir of "free" active iodine (38). With both inactivation methods, we observed a mild reduction in the ability of the RNA to replicate after the transfection of virusassociated genomes, indicating that both treatments have an influence on the viral RNA.…”

Diluted povidone-iodine inhibits tumor growth through apoptosis-induction and suppression of SOD activity

“…PVP-I, a combination of molecular iodine and polyvinylpyrrolidone, has replaced the solution (tincture) of iodine widely used in clinical practice (17). PVP-I is an example of an iodophor that acts as a conservator of free active iodine (18).…”