Nasal decolonization is an integral part of the strategies used to control and prevent the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. The two most commonly used agents for decolonization are intranasal mupirocin 2% ointment and chlorhexidine wash but the increasing emergence of resistance and treatment failure has underscored the need for alternative therapies. This article discusses povidone iodine (PVP-I) as an alternative decolonization agent and is based on literature reviewed during an Expert's workshop on resistance and MRSA decolonization. When compared to chlorhexidine and mupirocin, respectively, PVP-I 10% and 7.5% solution had rapid and superior bactericidal activity against MRSA in in vitro and ex vivo studies. Notably, PVP-I 10% and 5% solutions were also active against both chlorhexidine-resistant and mupirocin-resistant strains, respectively. Unlike chlorhexidine and mupirocin, available reports have not observed a link between PVP-I and the induction of bacterial resistance or cross-resistance to antiseptics and antibiotics. These pre-clinical findings also translate into clinical decolonization, where intranasal PVP-I significantly improved the efficacy of chlorhexidine wash and was as effective as mupirocin in reducing surgical site infection (SSI) in orthopedic surgery. Overall, these qualities of PVP-I make it a useful alternative decolonizing agent for the prevention of S. aureus infections, but additional experimental and clinical data are required to further evaluate the use of PVP-I in this setting.
Globally, water disinfection is reliant on chlorination but a route that avoids the formation of chemical residues would be preferred. Hydrogen peroxide, can offer such an alternative, is a broad-spectrum biocide but typically is less effective than traditional approaches to water remediation. Here, we show that the reactive species-including hydroxyl, hydroperoxyl and superoxide radicals-formed over a AuPd catalyst during the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and air are over 10 7 times more potent than an equivalent amount of pre-formed hydrogen peroxide and over 10 8 times more effective than chlorination under equivalent conditions. The key to bactericidal and virucidal efficacy is the radical flux that forms when hydrogen and oxygen are activated on the catalyst. This approach can form the basis of an alternative method for water disinfection particularly in communities not currently served by traditional means of water remediation or where access to potable water is scarce.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.