Patient leaflet - BACTROBAN 2% CREAM
Bactroban®
if you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. this includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. see section 4.
What is in this leaflet
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1 What Bactroban is and what it is used for
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2 What you need to know before you use Bactroban
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3 How to use Bactroban
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4 Possible side effects
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5 How to store Bactroban
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6 Contents of the pack and other information
1 What Bactroban is and what it is used for
Bactroban 2% Cream (called ‘Bactroban’ in this leaflet) contains a medicine called mupirocin calcium. Bactroban is an antibiotic cream.
It is used:
- to treat infections on your skin in small cuts, wounds or on scraped skin.
- to kill bacteria causing infections on your skin called ‘Staphylococcus aureus’ and ‘Streptococcus pyogens’.
2 What you need to know before you use Bactroban
Do not use Bactroban if:
- you are allergic (hypersensitive) to mupirocin calcium, mupirocin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
- the patient is less than 1 year old.
If you are not sure if this applies to you, do not use this medicine. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before using Bactroban.
Warnings and precautions Bactroban can cause severe skin reactions or allergies. See ‘Conditions to look out for ’ in section 4. Thrush (a yeast infection) may develop if Bactroban is used for a long time. On the skin this looks like bright red spots which may be very itchy. On occasion small pustules may be present in the middle. If this occurs, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Keep the cream away from your eyes.
- If the cream gets into your eyes accidentally, wash them thoroughly with water.
Other medicines and Bactroban
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using this medicine. If a cracked nipple is being treated, the cream must be thoroughly washed off prior to breast-feeding. Bactroban contains cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol.
These ingredients may cause skin reactions where you apply the cream. See also section 4.
3 How to use Bactroban
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Using this medicine
Do not mix Bactroban with any other external cream or ointment medicines on the infected area of your skin as this may reduce the effectiveness of Bactroban.
You usually apply Bactroban on your skin up to 3 times a day.
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1. Wash and dry your hands.
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2. Place a small amount of Bactroban on a clean cotton wool pad or gauze swab.
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3. Apply the cream to the infected area of your skin.
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4. You can cover the treated area with a plaster or other suitable dressing, unless your doctor has told you to leave it uncovered.
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5. Replace the cap on the tube and wash your hands.
How long should you use Bactroban for? Use Bactroban for as long as your doctor has told you. If you are not sure, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. The bacteria are normally cleared from your skin within 10 days of starting treatment.
Do not use for more than 10 days. Throw away any cream that is left over.
If your skin condition does not improve within 3 to 5 days, see your doctor.
If you swallow any or use more Bactroban than you should
- If you use more Bactroban than you should, speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.
- If you swallow any of the cream, contact your doctor immediately and indicate what and how much you have swallowed.
If you forget to use Bactroban
- If you forget to apply Bactroban, apply it as soon as you remember.
- If your next dose is due within an hour, skip the missed dose.
- Do not use a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop using Bactroban
If you stop using Bactroban too early, not all the bacteria may have been killed or they may continue to grow. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist when to stop using the cream.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
4 Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Conditions to look out for
Severe skin reactions or allergies
These are very rare in people using Bactroban. Signs include
- raised and itchy rash
- swelling, sometimes of the face or mouth, causing difficulty in breathing
- collapse or loss of consciousness
4 Contact a doctor immediately if you get any of these symptoms. Stop using Bactroban
+ If you develop a severe skin reaction or an allergy:
- wipe off the cream
- stop using it and
- tell your doctor as soon as possible.
On rare occasions, medicines like Bactroban can cause inflammation of the colon (large intestine), causing diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain, fever (pseudomembranous colitis).
4 Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you get any of these symptoms.
The following side effects may happen with this medicine:
- Common (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) Itching, redness, burning, rash, swelling, pain on your skin where Bactroban is applied.
Dryness and redness of the skin can also occur on other parts of your body.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at:
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5 How to store Bactroban
- Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
- Do not store above 25°C. Do not freeze.
- Do not use Bactroban after the expiry date which is stated on the tube.
The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
- Do not use Bactroban if it looks different to normal.
- Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6 Contents of the pack and other information
What Bactroban contains
- Each gram of cream contains 21.5 mg mupirocin calcium equivalent to 20 mg mupirocin.
- The other ingredients are xanthan gum, liquid paraffin, cetomacrogol 1000, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol and purified water. See also section 2.
What Bactroban looks like and contents of the pack
- Bactroban is a smooth white cream.
- Bactroban is available in a 15 g tube. Each tube comes in a carton.