Patient leaflet - Mupirocin 2% w/w ointment
1.What Mupirocin Ointment is and what it is used for
Mupirocin 2% w/w Ointment (simply called Mupirocin Ointment throughout the rest of this leaflet) is an antibiotic. It is used to kill bacteria in skin infections such as impetigo (which may appear as a small scratch or itchy patch of eczema), folliculitis (swelling of the skin around the hair roots) and boils. Mupirocin Ointment is for external use on your skin only.
2.What you need to know before you use Mupirocin Ointment
Do not use Mupirocin Ointment:
- if you are allergic to Mupirocin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
- to treat infections in your nose
- to treat infections in your eyes
- around intravenous cannula (“drip”) sites.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include a red and lumpy skin rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, mouth,
lips or eyelids, unexplained high temperature (fever) and feeling faint. If the swelling affects your throat and makes breathing and swallowing difficult, go to hospital straight away (see section 4).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using Mupirocin Ointment
- if you have problems with your kidneys
- if you have open wounds or damaged skin. If you use Mupirocin Ointment for a long period of time, you may develop thrush (a yeast infection). If this occurs, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Other medicines and Mupirocin Ointment
There are no known interactions with other medicines. Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are using, have recently used or might use 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 taking this medicine • if your doctor has given you Mupirocin Ointment to treat a cracked nipple, the ointment must be thoroughly washed off prior to breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
It is unlikely that Mupirocin Ointment will affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
3.How to use Mupirocin Ointment
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
For use on the skin only
- do not mix Mupirocin Ointment with other creams or ointments on the infected area of your skin, as this may reduce the effectiveness of Mupirocin Ointment • if you are using Mupirocin Ointment on your face, you should be careful not to get it in your eyes or in your nose. If you accidentally get Mupirocin Ointment in your eyes, wash them thoroughly with water and contact your doctor or nearest hospital Accident and Emergency Department immediately
- wash and dry your hands before, and after, you use Mupirocin Ointment.
Adults, the elderly and children
- use on the infected area of skin up to three times a day • you can cover the infected area with a plaster (s) or suitable dressing (s), unless your doctor has told you to leave it uncovered
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER Mupirocin 2% w/w Ointment
Mupirocin
- replace the cap on the tube and wash your hands
- use Mupirocin Ointment for as long as your doctor has told you. The bacteria are normally cleared from your skin within 10 days of starting treatment. Do not use for more than 10 days. If your symptoms persist, talk to your doctor or pharmacist
- throw away any ointment that is left over.
If you use more Mupirocin Ointment than you should
- if you use more Mupirocin Ointment than your doctor prescribed, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse
- if you or a child accidentally swallows Mupirocin Ointment, you should contact your doctor or the nearest hospital Accident and Emergency Department immediately. If you forget to use Mupirocin Ointment
- do not worry, use the ointment when you remember and then carry on as normal. If your next dose is due within an hour, skip the missed dose. Do not apply double the amount to make up for the amount missed. If you stop using Mupirocin Ointment
If you stop using Mupirocin Ointment too early, not all of the bacteria, causing your skin infection, may have been killed, and your infection may come back. Ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse when to stop using the ointment. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
4.Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) If you have any of the following very rare side effects while using your medicine, rinse the product off of your skin and tell your doctor immediately or go to hospital straight away:
- severe allergic reaction which may include a red and lumpy skin rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, mouth, lips or eyelids, unexplained high temperature (fever) and feeling faint. If the swelling affects your throat and makes breathing and swallowing difficult, go to hospital straight away
- inflammation of the colon (larger intestine), causing diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain, fever (pseudomembranous colitis).
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people )
- burning sensation where you have applied the ointment. Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people )
- itching, redness, stinging and dryness where you have applied the ointment
allergic rash, redness or soreness of the skin on the face, hands or body.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5.How to store Mupirocin Ointment
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after Exp: . The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not store above 25ºC.
Once opened, use within 6 months.
Do not use this medicine if you notice any visible signs of damage or deterioration to the tube or product. Return it to your pharmacist.
Do not throw away any 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 Mupirocin Ointment contains
- the active substance is mupirocin. Each gram of ointment contains 20mg mupirocin
- the other ingredients are macrogol 400 and macrogol 3350.
What Mupirocin Ointment looks like and contents of the pack
Mupirocin Ointment is a smooth, translucent, white ointment.
Each tube of Mupirocin Ointment contains 15g of ointment. Marketing Authorisation Holder
Focus Pharmaceuticals Limited, Dashwood House, 69 Old Broad Street, London,EC2M 1QS, United Kingdom Manufacturer
Kleva Pharmaceuticals S.A., 189 Parnithos Avenue, 136 75 Acharnai, Greece
This leaflet was last revised in December 2023
LF-127588-01
Dimension: 170 x 162 mm Commodity No.: N/A
AMS Component No.: LF-127588-01 Product Description: Mupirocin
Ointment 2% w/w 15g
Component: LF
Product Code: 103475 Country: GB
Vendor Name: Kleva Pharmaceu-ticals Ltd
Revision Date: 27-Nov-2023 Revised by: DAJ
01/12/2023