RESUMO
Objective: To determine the efficacy of 2.5% and 1.25% Povidone-Iodine solution for Ophthalmia neonatorum prophylaxis
Study Design: Interventional study
Place and Duration of Study: Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Sargodha, from May to November 2014
Methodology: A total of 200 eyes of 100 newborn babies were enrolled and divided into two groups of 100 right eyes and 100 left eyes. A conjunctival swab for bacterial culture was taken within 30 minutes after delivery. A single drop of 2.5% Povidone-Iodine was then placed in the right eye while in the left eye a single drop of 1.25% Povidone-Iodine was placed. Thirty minutes after placing Povidone-Iodine, a conjunctival swab was again taken. A bacterial suspension was prepared from each swab in determining bacterial counts. The bacterial suspension was inoculated on yeast extract agar and the number of colony forming units were counted. At each culture, the number of colony forming units before and after instillation of 2.5% Povidone-Iodine and 1.25% Povidone-Iodine were compared. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for statistical analysis
Results: The 2.5% Povidone-Iodine solution caused a statistically significant decrease in the number of colony forming units [p=0.001]. Similarly, the 1.25% Povidone-Iodine solution also reduced the number of colony forming units to a statistically significant level [p=0.001]
Conclusion: The 1.25% concentration of Povidone-Iodine is as effective as the 2.5% concentration of Povidone-Iodine in reducing the number of colony forming units in healthy conjunctivae of newborns