Abstract: Received: 11 June 2020 | Revised: 22 June 2020 | Accepted: 22 June 2020 DOI: 10.1111/odi.13526 S H O R T C O M M U N I C AT I O N Is povidone iodine mouthwash effective against SARS-CoV-2? First in vivo tests Lucía Martínez Lamas1 | Pedro Diz Dios2 | Maria Teresa Pérez Rodríguez3 | Victor Del Campo Pérez4 | Jorge Julio Cabrera Alvargonzalez1 | Ana María López Domínguez3 | Javier Fernandez Feijoo2 | Marcio Diniz Freitas2 | Jacobo Limeres Posse2 1 Department of Microbiology, Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur) SERGAS-Universidade de Vigo, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), Sergas, Vigo, Spain 2 Medical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain 3 Internal Medicine Department, Infectious Diseases Unit, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur) SERGAS-Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain 4 Preventive Medicine Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), Sergas, Vigo, Spain Correspondence: Pedro Diz Dios, Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Santiago de Compostela, c/Entrerríos sn, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Email: pedro.diz@usc.es Keywords: aerosol, coronavirus, COVID-19, mouthwash, povidone iodine, SARS-CoV-2 1 | I NTRO D U C TI O N transmission of this new coronavirus? To date, the efficacy of povidone against SARS-CoV-2 has not been confirmed. In this study, we The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva of patients with coro- analyzed the impact of a mouthwash with PVP-I on the salivary viral navirus disease (COVID-19) has made this biological fluid relevant load of SARS-CoV-2 in 4 patients with COVID-19. in terms of the diagnosis and transmission of the infection (Azzi, Carcano, Gianfagna, et al., 2020; To, Tsang, Yip, et al., 2020). As a result, the dental clinic is considered an environment of risk for dental healthcare personnel and their patients, particularly due to the potential transmission of the virus through droplets and aerosols 2 | M E TH O DS 2.1 | Patient 1 (Peng et al., 2020). Based on this argument, it has been suggested that the measures for controlling cross-infection during dental prac- A 74-year-old man with a history of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma tice should include a preprocedural mouth rinse containing oxida- was admitted to the hospital 28 days ago due to pneumonia by tive agents such as 1% hydrogen peroxide and 0.2% povidone iodine SARS-CoV-2. The patient underwent treatment with hydroxychlo- (PVP-I) (Peng et al., 2020). This protocol, with small variations, has roquine, lopinavir + ritonavir, corticosteroids, and tocilizumab. The been accepted by the main professional dental associations world- patient required admission to the intensive care unit and endotra- wide, such as the American Dental Association (ADA, 2020). If an cheal intubation. The patient is currently hospitalized in the hospital antiseptic mouthwash's virucidal activity is demonstrated, why ward, without exogenous oxygen supply, is undergoing treatment limit its application to the dental clinic setting and not adminis- with rituximab, and presents positive serial polymerase chain reac- ter it routinely to the entire population to..