Comparison of the antiseptic effects of Betadine and Sterillium on microbial load of surgical hands

Background: Hand washing is an essential measure in controlling the infection in the operating room, the correct implementation of which requires time. Therefore, the use of fast-acting and safe disinfectant is of great importance in this regard. Regarding this, the present study aimed to compare the antiseptic effects of Betadine and Sterillium on the microbial load of the surgical hands.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 93 operating room staff working at teaching hospitals of Yazd, Iran, in 2013, using random sampling method. Hand washing was first performed uniformly using 5 ml of non-antibacterial soap for 1 min. Subsequently, the hand washing was performed on two separate occasions with an interval of one week with 12 ml of Betadine and Sterillum for 3 min according to the the instructions of each solution. The sampling was carried out immediately after hand washing. In order to evaluate the lasting effects of the disinfectants, another sampling was also performed after the surgery. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA through the SPSS version 17.

Results: The mean difference of the microbial load of the hands washed with Betadine was 15.97±3.08 CFU/ml, which decreased to -0.64±0.28 CFU/ml (P=0.012) at the post-intervention stage. Regarding the Sterillum, the mean microbial loads of the hands were 16.73±3.0 and -0.032±0.64 CFU/ml at the pre- and post-intervention stages, respectively (P=0.037). This difference between the two solutions was significant (P=0.04).

Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed that the Sterillum was more fast-acting than the Betadine. However, Betadine showed more lasting effect as compared to the Sterillum. Therefore, it is suggested to choose the disinfectant with regard to the onset and duration of the surgery.