An independent in vitro comparison of povidone iodine and SteriLid.
OBJECTIVE
Povidone iodine (PI) and SteriLid (SL) are biocides used to decrease bacterial load on the eyelid margin. We compared the antibacterial activity of PI and SL to determine the better antiseptic.


METHODS
Time-kill studies of PI and SL against a battery of bacteria that included Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Branhamella catarrhalis were conducted at time points 1, 2, 10, and 30 min. The comparative outcome measures were based on 90% and 99.9% decreases in bacterial colony counts.


RESULTS
PI was more effective at a 90% kill than SL at time points, 1 min (8/9 vs. 7/9), 2 min (9/9 vs. 6/9), 10 min (9/9 vs. 8/9), and 30 min (9/9 vs. 8/9). PI was more effective at a 99.9% kill than SL at time points, 1 min (5/9 vs. 3/9), 2 min (7/9 vs. 4/9), 10 min (9/9 vs. 4/9), and 30 min (9/9 vs. 6/9).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study supports PI as an effective antiseptic for decreasing the bacterial load that can exist on the eyelid margin. SL appears to be a less effective alternative.
Chronister
Drew R
DR
The Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kowalski
Regis P
RP
Mah
Francis S
FS
Thompson
Paul P
PP
D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000382:microbiology; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004202:Disinfectants; D039821:Monoterpenes; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; C018584:linalool