title: Comparison of disinfective power according to application order of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 10% povidone-iodine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many disinfectants have been used clinically in both single and combination applications, but there have been few studies on disinfective power according to sterilization sequence when using a combination of disinfectants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the disinfective power of a combination of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 10% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) according to sterilization sequence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred healthy volunteers were recruited. Subjects were disinfected with a combination of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 10% PVP-I on both forearms, in varying sequence. The AP group included disinfections on the left forearm with isopropyl alcohol first followed by 10% PVP-I, while the PA group included disinfections on the right forearm with same disinfectants in reverse order. Skin cultures were obtained using cotton swabs 3 min after application of each disinfectant, and then were inoculated on blood agar plates for bacterial culture. Cultures were incubated at 37℃ under aerobic conditions for 48 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the number of positive cultures after the 1(st) disinfection (AP, 45; PA, 36, P = 0.262) or the 2(nd) disinfection (AP, 6; PA, 13, P = 0.157), suggesting that there is no relationship between disinfective power and the sequence of the disinfectants used. The number of positive cultures significantly decreased after the 2(nd) disinfection (P < 0.01), however.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference in disinfective power according to sterilization sequence with 70% isopropyl alcohol and 10% PVP-I in healthy volunteers. The combination of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 10% PVP-I was more effective than disinfection with a single agent regardless of sterilization sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Su
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Bong
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Duck
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sie Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ryu
keywords: Colonization; Disinfectants; Isopropyl alcohol; Povidone-iodine