Topical iodophor preparations: chemistry, microbiology, and clinical utility.

Iodophor preparations are commonly used in all medical specialties for antisepsis of the skin prior to injections, invasive procedures, and surgery. Povidone-iodine has some very intriguing properties that make it extremely effective as a broad spectrum bacteriocidal agent with no known bacterial resistance, potentially lending itself to broader applications than its current uses. In this article the background, formulations, chemistry, and microbiology of iodine will be reviewed and recent clinical investigations of utility beyond skin antisepsis will be discussed.