Abstract
Abstract
Iodine has been found to be virucidal against rhinovirus on human skin. The kinetics of in vitro rhinovirus inactivation by iodine and the residual virucidal activity of iodine on skin were examined in this study. Maximum inactivation of rhinovirus in vitro occurred within 3 sec with aqueous iodine concentrations of <100 μg/ml. Aqueous iodine concentrations of ≥10 μg/ml were ineffective. Inactivation of rhinovirus on the skin of the hands was accomplished by applying iodine in concentrations of 20,000 μg (2%) or 10,000 μg (1%) iodine/ml. Viral inactivation took place after 3 min of exposure to skin treated with the higher concentration, but took up to 20 min with the 1% solution. Viral inactivation with 1% iodine followed first-order kinetics. The virucidal activity of 2% iodine on hands persisted for up to 2 hr. Iodine will be used to attempt to interrupt hand contact transmission of rhinovirus infection.
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