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Mupirocin 2% Ointment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mupirocin (Bactroban®) for the treatment of several different bacterial skin infections. The medication is also used during an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to help prevent the bacteria from spreading.
It is available in the following strengths and forms:
- Mupirocin skin ointment 2% (22-gram tubes)
- Mupirocin skin cream 2% (15- and 30-gram tubes)
- Mupirocin nasal ointment 2% (single-use 1-gram tubes).
The exact form a healthcare provider prescribes will depend on the condition being treated, as well as the patient's age (the nasal ointment is not approved for children under the age of 12). Mupirocin skin cream and the skin ointment are applied three times a day; the nasal form is applied twice a day for five days.
(Click Mupirocin to learn more about this prescription medication, including how it works, specific conditions it is used to treat, possible side effects, and more.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD