Can povidone-iodine kill the HPV virus?

HPV virus refers to human papillomavirus. Under normal circumstances, povidone-iodine cannot kill human papillomavirus. If necessary for use, it should be applied according to medical advice. Detailed explanation is as follows:

Human papillomavirus lacks cellular structure; its core consists of viral nucleic acid, surrounded by a protein capsid. This special structure is more difficult to eliminate compared to bacteria. The bactericidal mechanism of povidone-iodine mainly works by denaturing bacterial proteins and destroying bacterial cell walls. However, the protein capsid of HPV is relatively stable, making it difficult for povidone-iodine to penetrate and damage its internal nucleic acid, thus failing to effectively inactivate the virus.

Human papillomavirus primarily infects skin and mucosal epithelial cells of the human body. It can invade cells and replicate using the host cell's materials and energy, existing in a relatively hidden state. When povidone-iodine is applied on the body surface, it mostly contacts only the outer layer of the virus and cannot penetrate into the cells to kill the virus inside, making it difficult to completely eliminate the virus.

In daily life, one should focus on personal hygiene, keep the skin clean, especially the intimate areas, avoid sharing towels, bath towels, or other items that may come into contact with skin and mucous membranes with others, and reduce the risk of virus transmission.