Mupirocin (Bactroban)

What is Mupirocin (Bactroban)

What is Bactroban? Mupirocin Bactroban is a prescription drug that comes in a few different forms: topical ointment, nasal ointment, and topical cream. The topic ointment also comes under the brand name Centany and is available as a generic drug.

What is the Bactroban ointment, and what are the Bactroban uses? It is just the name of a manufacturer who produces the antibiotic drug. It does not contain penicillin: the active component that’s listed as an ingredient is the mupirocin. It is usually available on prescription. It is a topic antibacterial agent that eliminates skin infections.

It’s mostly used to treat impetigo, which is a highly contagious skin disease that affects mostly children and infants. It appears on a face as red sores that later develop the honey-colored crusts. Mupirocin is capable of dealing with impetigo and providing the patient with fast results: often, it can be even the first 24 hours.

Antibiotic treatment can also prevent the spread of the disease, so the child or an adult could continue their normal life without causing any damage to others.

It’s important to note that there is no information about the influence of Bactroban on unborn babies, which means that if you are a pregnant woman, you should consult your doctor before taking it.

Is mupirocin the same as the Bactroban? Yes, Bactroban is just another name for mupirocin Bactroban. There are a few other brand names for it, such as Bactroban Nasal and Centany.

Bactroban uses include the treatment of many different skin diseases, such as school sores, eczema, psoriasis, herpes, wounds, insect bites, minor burns, and infections caused in hair roots and boils. Bactroban is used for treating infections caused by different illnesses.

Overview

The class the drug belongs to is called topical antibacterials. This class is used to treat all kinds of conditions and diseases related to skin. Mupirocin works on killing the harmful bacteria caused by the infection and prevents it from multiplying.

What is Bactroban used for? It’s usually used for treating all kinds of skin infections caused by harmful bacteria. Healing might take up to two days. Still, you should avoid such areas as your eyes, nose, lips, and mouth.

You should not use Bactroban to treat acute cystic acne since it has no influence on it. If you are looking for the best medicine to treat acne, contact the doctor to get consulted. Neither Bactroban nor any other antibiotics can be used for treating acne.

Therapeutic indications

What does the Bactroban treat? As mentioned previously, Bactroban is the topical antibacterial agent, which means that it fights many skin infections, including the Staphylococcus aureus as well as Gram-negative organisms like Haemophilus influenzae. Skin infections the Bactroban is active against are folliculitis, impetigo, and furunculosis. It can be used both by adults and infants.

What is important to do if you start taking the drug to fight with skin diseases? Here is a short instruction on how to apply the Bactroban correctly:

• First, get tested to make sure that you are not allergic to Bactroban. Allergies might have serious consequences.
• After applying the drug for the first time, do a quick test by putting it on your skin in a small amount and leaving it there for a few hours. If nothing happens, you can continue using this drug.
• Don’t extend your treatment for longer than recommended by a doctor. The consequences of it might be serious.

Before taking this medicine

First of all, you should not take Bactroban if you are allergic to the mupirocin Bactroban. If you are not sure about that, it’s better to get tested beforehand.

If you have ever had kidney disease, it is better to have a discussion with the doctor regarding the use of Bactroban.

Keep in mind that you should not give this drug to a child without medical advice because there is always a chance that he/she might have an allergy you were not aware of. This is why Bactroban should be treated even more seriously when given to an infant. The cream should not be used on a child that’s younger than 3 months old, and the ointment should not be applied to an infant younger than 2 months.

There is no information about the possible harm caused to an unborn baby because there is not enough research about the possibility of mupirocin being passed into breast milk.

No matter how you feel, you should always talk to the doctor first before taking any kind of medicine.

Pharmaceutical form

Bactroban is in white, lucid, water-soluble polyethylene glycose base.

Posology and method of administration

Adults and children:

The Bactroban ointment should be applied to the affected area no more than three times per day for up to 10 days. The dosage should not be extended: 10 days is a limit for taking the drug because otherwise, it might stop working. The organism will get used to the antibiotics you are taking, and they will no longer be fighting the bacteria. To make sure that the drug keeps working, you will have to stick to the instructions. Don’t extend the period of application and if you see no progress, avoid overusing the drug and contact the doctor instead.

The drug should be applied only to your skin. Avoid putting the mupirocin Bactroban on other parts of your body, including your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Don’t mix mupirocin Bactroban with other medications. There is a risk of dilution that can possibly affect the way the drug influences your skin, which might result in the reduction of antibacterial activity and even the loss of stability of the mupirocin Bactroban in the cream or ointment.

Avoid drinking alcohol while using mupirocin Bactroban. Antibiotics do not mix well with alcohol and similar substances. The effect of mupirocin Bactroban might be degraded, or the drug might just not work.

You may cover the affected area after the application of mupirocin with clothing or leave the area without any coverage.

In case you suddenly stop using the drug: there won’t be any results from the treatment. Your infection might not only not get better, but can also progress and get worse. This is why it is better to keep applying the mupirocin for the whole period recommended by your doctor.

If you use too much of a drug: the bacteria might get used to the preparation, and it will just stop working. The bacteria might develop resistance, and you will have to change the medication. If you overuse the drug, please contact the doctor to get details on your further actions.

Contraindications

Mupirocin is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to the drug or any other excipients of the mupirocin Bactroban ointment. This product contains inactive ingredients you might be allergic to, so be careful when choosing to go for this drug. There are no diseases Contraindications, but if you are allergic to the Bactroban, the allergic reactions might be severe. This is why you should be very careful when trying it.

Before taking mupirocin Bactroban, it is better to get tested to make sure there are you are not allergic to mupirocin Bactroban.

Side Effects

Remember that if you are experiencing allergic reactions and all kinds of Bactroban negative side effects, including dizziness, hives, fast heartbeat, wheezing, difficult breathing, etc., you should report it to the doctor and contact them immediately. In case of a severe reaction, it is crucial to take steps towards quick treatment, since otherwise, the consequences might lead to serious diseases.

Dermatologic

Some of the Bactroban negative side effects include itching, burning, allergic reactions, redness, dryness, swelling, itching, and rash.

Gastrointestinal

Most of the antibiotics, and mupirocin Bactroban, among them, can cause diarrhea due to an infection. Other side effects include stomach pain and cramping, blood, and mucus in your stool.

Hypersensitivity

Cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions have been reported very rarely. However, it is possible that mupirocin Bactroban might cause a hypersensitive reaction, so if you experience any of the symptoms, contact the doctor right away.

Local

Some of the local reactions include contact dermatitis, tenderness, increased exudate, nausea, erythema. Local reactions are one of the common Bactroban negative side effects caused by mupirocin Bactroban, and if you experience any symptoms of local reactions, discontinue the treatment and contact the doctor.

Nervous system

Headaches, taste perversion, dizziness are side effects that might be caused by mupirocin Bactroban. Keep in mind that your reaction might be very individual, so whenever you feel sick, you should contact the doctor to get proper treatment.

Ocular

Ocular side effects include conjunctivitis, blepharitis, tearing, and burning. Ocular side effects are not very common, but if you experience any of the ocular side effects and symptoms, contact the doctor and discontinue the use of mupirocin Bactroban.

Other

Other side effects include diarrhea that won’t go away, cough, respiratory disorder, increased oozing at the infection site, rhinitis, nasal mucosa reactions, epistaxis.

Before taking the antibiotics, you should consult the medicine to find out whether you can use this drug or not. It is always important to make sure that everything you take is prescripted and checked.

Special warnings and precautions for use

Before you start using this product, it is crucial to make sure that you don’t have an allergy to it. For that, you will have to get tested and consult with the doctor.

In case of a reaction, severe allergy, and local irritation, you should discontinue the application of the product, take the product of your skin, and use an alternative medication for your skin.

Remember that overusing antibacterial creams and other products of that kind might lead to the appearance of other organisms on your skin.

Pseudomembranous colitis is one of the side effects of antibiotics and their severity and impact ranges. This is why it is possible that a patient who has been dealing with bacterial infectious diarrhea might develop it after the use of antibiotics. There are low chances of pseudomembranous colitis being developed in patients who apply mupirocin, but still, if you experience abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and other symptoms, you should discontinue the use of the drug and pick other alternatives for it.

Important warnings:

• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Almost every antibiotic can cause severe diarrhea due to an infection. Such an infection might result in severe inflammation of a colon and even be potentially fatal. Because of that, it is always important to contact 911 or your doctor in case of a severe reaction or any symptoms that point at allergy or infection.
• Length of treatment. Use this drug only for the period of time recommended by a doctor. Don’t ignore the instructions. Overusing the drug might cause microscopic organisms to overgrow on your skin, such as fungi or harmful bacteria. This might lead to an infection or diseases can be hard to treat. If you have completed the treatment and the disease didn’t go away, contact the door to get a consultation on a medication. You should not continue the treatment without previous consultation of a doctor.
• Allergic reactions. There is a possibility of allergic reactions caused by mupirocin. If you have an allergic reaction or itchiness after applying the ointment or cream on your skin, discontinue the use of the drug immediately and call a doctor or 911. Other symptoms of allergy include trouble swallowing or breathing, shortness of breath, itching, body rash, swelling of your tongue or throat. If you experience any of these, stop taking the drug immediately. The continued application of mupirocin might lead to fatal consequences. To get proper treatment for your allergy, speak to a doctor. A patient with an allergy for mupirocin will get an alternative treatment for the disease they are dealing with.
• Contact warning. As well as for any other type of cream, you should avoid getting the mupirocin in your eyes. Please avoid any contact with the cream with the sensitive parts of your body and don’t rub it into your eyes. If the cream comes into the contact of your eyes, rinse them with warm water. If your eyes keep hurting, you should call 911 and get medical help. Avoid using mupirocin inside your nose: it can cause dryness.

Fertility, pregnancy, and lactation

• There is no research or data showing the impact of mupirocin on human fertility. It might be better to avoid using mupirocin if you are not sure about the effect it might have.
• There is not enough research that shows the influence of mupirocin during pregnancy. Studies in animals show that there is no reproductive toxicity. However, you should contact the doctor if you are pregnant and not sure if you can apply mupirocin.
• Breast-feeding. There is no human and animal data on the use of mupirocin during lactation. Before starting treatment, you should contact the doctor to discuss the possibility of Bactroban influencing lactation.

Effects on ability to drive and use machines

Mupirocin has no effect on the ability to drive and use machines. If you have just started applying mupirocin, it is better first to make sure that you don’t have any allergic reactions before you drive and use any machines. Otherwise, there is a potential danger for you.

Allergy warning

Mupirocin can cause allergic reactions, including severe allergic reactions. Some of the symptoms are:

• trouble breathing or/and swallowing
• swelling of throat or/and tongue
• itching
• body rash
• pale or flushed skin
• chest tightness
• shortness of breath.

If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Allergic reactions can lead to very serious consequences and should be treated immediately. If you ever develop an allergy for mupirocin, you should not take this drug ever again since using it might be fatal.

Interaction with other medicinal products

Any kind of interaction with other drugs and medicinal products might influence the way the drug works. This is why it is crucial to consult your doctor regarding taking any other medicine, herbs, vitamins while you are using the mupirocin. If you decide to take any other drugs or would like to try products that might interfere with mupirocin, consult with your doctor.

To learn about the ways in which mupirocin interacts with other drugs, talk to your doctor or pharmacists. Keep in mind that it is always better to apply the drug on clear skin free from any other products and creams.

Undesirable effects

The most common effects among patients using mupirocin are:

• headaches
• skin rash

The listed effects tend to have a less severe expression. Effects that don’t happen frequently include dry and puffy skin, itching, skin inflammation, constant stinging sensations on your skin, local reactions at the site of the application, erythema. Those effects usually have less severe expression.

Rare undesirable effects include anaphylaxis, angioedema, diarrhea caused by an infection, abdominal pain, canker sores, hives, and dizziness. Those forms of side effects usually tend to have less severe expression.

Immune system disorders caused by mupirocin are very rare. Skin tissue disorders are common.

If you experience any kinds of undesirable effects, contact your doctor immediately to avoid deterioration.

Overdose

There are limited research and experience with overdose of mupirocin.

Using too much of the drug might cause resistance to it. As a result, the mupirocin will just stop working, and harmful bacteria will continue evolving. If you think that you have applied too much of the drug, contact the doctor. Keep in mind that often quality gives the results you want and not the quantity, so there is no need for overusing the drug.

There is no special treatment for an overdose of mupirocin. The patient is treated supportively, and further treatment is determined by a clinic or a doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, you will have to apply a missed dose as soon as you remember about it. It is crucial to remember about every dose you are supposed to take because otherwise, the drug just won’t work. If you remember about a missed dose before taking the next one, apply one dose of the drug.

Storage

Mupirocin topical ointment should be stored in a place with room temperature. Don’t put it in a fridge. The best temperature for this medication would be between 20°C and 25°C. Avoid storing the drug in such areas as bathrooms because humidity might influence the drug negatively.

Put the drug in the area hard to access for children to avoid swallowing or overdosing. Consider storing mupirocin in an area out of reach for kids, such as a closet or a special place for medication. To make sure that the medication is out of reach, do the following steps:

1. Put the cream in a sealed package.
2. Put the package away from damp or hot surfaces.
3. Check regularly if the package is in the right place.

All of these actions will provide you with a guarantee that no one gets hurt by misusing the medication. Take care of your health by being cautious.