ArticleBMC microbiology2026
Bactericidal effects of diluted povidone-iodine on Staphylococcus epidermidis at different stages of biofilm formation on titanium surfaces.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundImplant-associated infections, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis, pose a significant challenge in orthopaedic surgery due to the ability of this organism to form antibiotic-resistant biofilms on titanium surfaces. Although povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is widely used as an intraoperative antiseptic, its effectiveness against biofilms at different stages of development remains unclear. This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the bactericidal effects of 0.35% diluted PVP-I on S. epidermidis biofilms on mirror-polished titanium alloy (ASTM F136) discs. Irrigation with PVP-I or saline (control) was applied at three critical stages: (1) irrigation at the pre-exposure stage; (2) irrigation after the bacterial adhesion stage; and (3) irrigation at the early biofilm stage (6 h after adhesion). Viable bacterial counts were quantified by colony-forming unit (CFU) assays, and biofilm structure was assessed using biofilm coverage rate (BCR) measured by crystal violet staining and image analysis.
resultsIrrigation at the pre-exposure stage did not significantly reduce the number of adherent viable bacteria compared to controls (P = 0.55, d = 0.21). However, irrigation after the bacterial adhesion stage resulted in no viable bacteria being detected in the PVP-I group under the assay conditions (0 CFU/mL; P < 0.0001, d = 2.56). Irrigation at the early biofilm stage with PVP-I achieved a 98% reduction in viable bacteria compared to controls (P < 0.0001, d = 45.3). The relative BCR remained at 102.3% (P = 0.30, d = 0.24), likely due to matrix protein fixation by iodine rather than increased formation.
conclusionsThe timing of antiseptic irrigation is critical for effective reduction of viable bacteria from titanium surfaces. Irrigation after the bacterial adhesion stage with diluted PVP-I appears most effective in preventing biofilm establishment, while irrigation at the pre-exposure stage is insufficient, and chemical irrigation alone cannot fully remove established biofilm matrix structures. These findings highlight the importance of integrating mechanical debridement with antiseptic irrigation for optimal management of implant-associated infections.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.