Which prep agent is iodine-containing?

• A. Hexachlorophene
• B. Iodophors
• C. Alcohols
• D. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)

Answer: (B)

Iodine-containing prep agents are iodophors; they pair iodine with a carrier so iodine is released slowly onto the skin, giving rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial action with less staining and irritation than straight iodine. The most familiar example is povidone-iodine, which kills microbes by iodinating and oxidizing cellular proteins and nucleic acids, leading to cell death. This makes the iodophors the correct choice because they are the only option that actually contains iodine. The other choices do not contain iodine—hexachlorophene is a phenolic antiseptic, alcohols kill by protein denaturation but are not iodine-based, and chlorhexidine gluconate is a biguanide antiseptic without iodine.