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The Effect of 70% Alcohol and Povidone-Iodine Solution

Patricia M. Mertz; Oscar M. Alvarez, PhD; Richard V. Smerbeck; William H. Eaglstein, MD

Arch Dermatol. 1984;120(1):58-62.

Abstract
• A preliminary evaluation of the antiseptic activity of 70% alcohol and 10% povidone-iodine solution was carried out in an animal model. After the inoculation of partial-thickness wounds with Staphylococcus aureus, 0.1 mL of the antiseptic agent (70% alcohol or povidone-iodine solution) was rubbed into the wound for 30 s. The agent was left on the wound for one minute, three minutes, and 24 hours, and then the wounds were cultured for bacteria. After one minute, the treatments did not reduce the number of pathogens. After three minutes, both 70% alcohol and povidone-iodine solution produced a slight reduction, and after 24 hours, povidone-iodine solution slightly reduced the number of pathogenic bacteria that could be cultured. However, after 24 hours, neither agent reduced the number of pathogens below 10⁵ colony-forming units per milliliter. These preliminary data suggest that single applications of 70% alcohol or povidone-iodine may have very limited efficacy as antiseptic agents for the treatment of superficial wounds.

(Arch Dermatol 1984;120:58-62)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Feb 2, 1983.

Reprint requests to Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, RC-513 Scaife Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (Ms Mertz).

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