Personal protective equipment (PPE), including medical masks, should be worn for preventing the transmission of respiratory pathogens via infective droplets and aerosols. In medical masks, the key layer is the filter layer, and the melt-blown nonwoven fabric (NWF) is the most used fabric. However, the NWF filter layer cannot kill or inactivate the pathogens spread via droplets and aerosols. Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) has been used as an antiseptic solution given its potent broad-spectrum activity against pathogens. To develop PPE (e.g., medical masks) with anti-pathogenic activity, we integrated PVP-I into nylon-66 NWF. We then evaluated its antiviral activity against influenza A viruses by examining the viability of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells after inoculation with the virus strains exposed to the PVP-I-integrated nylon-66 NWF. The PVP-I nylon-66 NWF protected the MDCK cells from viral infection in a PVP-I concentration-dependent manner. Subsequently, we found to integrate PVP-I into nylon-66 and polyurethane materials among various materials. These PVP-I materials were also effective against influenza virus infection, and treatment with PVP-I nylon-66 NWF showed the highest cell survival among all the tested materials. PVP-I showed anti-influenza A virus activity when used in conjunction with PPE materials. Moreover, nylon-66 NWF integrated with PVP-I was found to be the best material to ensure anti-influenza activity. Therefore, PVP-I-integrated masks could have the potential to inhibit respiratory virus infection. Our results provide new information for developing multi-functional PPEs with anti-viral activity by integrating them with PVP-I to prevent the potential transmission of respiratory viruses.
Keywords: anti-influenza virus; filter layer; medical mask; nylon nonwoven fabric; personal protective equipment (PPE); povidone-iodine.